Street Art City, located in the heart of France's Auvergne region, has established itself as a global capital of street art. Ten years after its creation, this unique park entirely dedicated to urban art is breaking attendance records, now welcoming nearly 30,000 visitors annually to the small village of Lurcy-Lévis in the Allier department.
Spanning 22,000 square meters (approximately 237,000 square feet) entirely devoted to street art, Street Art City has become a world-renowned destination in just a few years. The site features massive street art murals covering the facades of buildings throughout this rural French village, creating what has become a true temple of urban art.
This year holds special significance for founders Gilles and Sylvie Iniesta, who recently won the "Tourism of Tomorrow" award presented by the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. "This year marks the ten-year anniversary of Street Art City. This is not insignificant - we can really speak of recognition," Gilles Iniesta shared. "Being crowned by the public's favorite choice is a true mark of recognition. Honestly, it's a great source of pride."
The current season has been marked by record attendance, with more than 30,000 visitors coming to admire the works of hundreds of artists from around the globe. One visitor expressed their appreciation, saying, "What I like is feeling that there are people who dedicate their time and lives to thinking and building a more colorful world. We have never needed artists more." Another visitor praised the diversity: "I love the diversity of artists who come from all over the world. Depending on each person's culture, it allows for very different approaches."
Gilles Iniesta takes particular pride in the site's international reach. "This year, we're approaching 34% foreign visitors," he noted. "As an example, on the last Monday of August, twelve nationalities were represented on the site, in addition to the French. It's quite exceptional." This international appeal demonstrates how the remote French village has successfully attracted a global audience to experience urban art in an unexpected rural setting.
Due to this overwhelming success, not all artists can be exhibited simultaneously. While visitors explore the current displays, artwork is carefully stored in reserves where preparations for the next season are already underway. "All the canvases displayed in the different spaces will be brought back here, organized and ready to be brought out again next year," explained a staff member at the art space.
For those interested in discovering this extraordinary location, Street Art City will reopen its doors on May 1st of next year. The venue's success story illustrates how creative vision and dedication can transform a small rural community into an internationally recognized cultural destination, bringing together artists and art lovers from across the globe in the French countryside.
