One of the most important international graffiti festivals is currently taking place at the bridgehead in the Kastel district of Wiesbaden. From 12 to 15 June, the "Meeting of Styles" is bringing together over 120 artists from 27 countries. Covering an area of more than 4,000 square metres, colourful murals are being created in the open air, ranging from figurative portraits and ornamental lettering to abstract compositions.
The event, which has been based in Mainz-Kastel for several years, is part of a worldwide series of around thirty festivals dedicated to the legal promotion of urban art. In Wiesbaden, it is the city itself that supports the project: around a hundred artists from Germany work together with guests from all over the world on the concrete surfaces of the Theodor Heuss Bridge underpass – a place that is now considered one of the largest contiguous graffiti galleries between Cologne and Stuttgart.
The festival is accompanied by an extensive supporting programme. DJs, rappers and breakdancers perform on several stages, while culinary offerings and sales stands create the atmosphere of an urban street festival. Admission is free. The Meeting of Styles has long since established itself as a fixture on the German graffiti scene. It not only offers established players in the street art scene a platform, but also promotes international exchange and social recognition of this often misunderstood art form.
