The second annual urban art festival in Perth reveals several new public artworks.

Once considered a form of vandalism, street art has been elevated in recent years from a clandestine crime to a legitimate and celebrated art form, thanks to the popularity of artists such as Banksy and Anthony Lister. Now in its second year, Perth is welcoming more than 50 international graffiti and street artists for PUBLIC 2015, a festival celebrating urban art.

42 walls across the city, including locations in Perth CBD, Victoria Park, Leederville, Fremantle, Claremont, Northbridge and Wheatbelt, will host newly created guerrilla artworks, including a 10-stroey tall grain silo, being transformed by American artist Hense and British artist Phlegm for the festival. The city’s Chinatown will also host an open air street art market.

PUBLIC is the brain child of cultural-change organisation FORM, who hope the festival will encourage Perth residents to embrace cultural activism within their local communities. “All the local governments we are working with from the regions and the metropolitan area are so keen to be involved,” says FORM Executive Director Lynda Dorrington. “PUBLIC is all about activation and being a catalyst for regenerating interest by citizen’s in their neighbourhood.”

PUBLIC 2015 runs across Perth until April 19.