By the custom that lasts continuously form the year 2000, citizens of Novi Sad and their guest visitors have an opportunity to greet the "Street Artist Festival", a festival organized in the end of the summer period, played in the streets of Novi Sad by the various artists both from local and international scene. To those artists, performing in the streets and city squares is a way of living, but also a recognized art performed thru festivals and other ways of expressing worldwide. Since the beginning of the Millennium, the capital of Vojvodina introduced itself to the map of the annual sets of street art, having been visited by all best known street artists in the world, who perform their art in other prestige festivals around the globe.
By performing in Novi Sad, they are bringing the culture and spirit of their communities, to exchange them with local street art fans and other performers. Street Art festival was first held in 2001. and since then had have been organized regularly, every year in September, by the same adopted principles of the street art. The old city centre of Novi Sad looks like it was made for this type of events, and the info points in the line with the visitors, give a great visual attraction to all generations. All the time from the beginning till today, the art director of the festival is Aleksandar Carić, a well known name in the global street music performance scene. Born in Novi Sad, lives in Italy and Portugal, and has been active street performer with a serious seniority in festivals of this type around the world. Thanks to his contacts and criteria, in the last 11 years Novi Sad welcomed numerous well known artists from all the Continents, including Malabar, Voala, The Von Trolley Quartet, Perpetuum Jazzile, Etoiles De Essaouira, Cosmic Sausages and many others, with the best selection of domestic artists as well. With the last, 12th edition, the Street Art Festival reached its organizational peak, winning first prize, " European culture festivals", the festival gained a European festival status, the first and the only in Serbia so far. Cause of that status, Novi Sad welcomed another number of world's most famous street artists, such as high wire act performer Ramon Kelvink, hilarious car-stunts Bengditos, Retimbar-Portuguese music attraction, and the biggest greek street theater, Heliks. In a such sharp competition, the biggest stars in the festival were the members of the international movement "Playing for Change", whose humanitarian mission is bringing peace to the world with music love tolerance and understanding, leaded by the homonymous foundation from USA. The festival itself had a humanitarian note in 2012. due to the agreement that all the performers income, made by citizens donations in their overturned hats during performances, has been given to help the residents of the Novi Sad Drop-in centre for children living and working in the streets, followed by a number of humanitarian activities for the poor children. The mixture of programs of the festival, every year attracts more and more tourists to Novi Sad, and the prize "Tourist Flower" given by the National Tourism Organization of Serbia in 2007. in the category " Special events in promotion of tourism " gave a testimony of quality to the festival. last year, festival was visited by over 70000 visitors, and all programs were-as always- free. In the meantime, in 2009. the founder and the director of the festival, Borislav Beljanski, received a prestige city award- November's charter of the City of Novi Sad, for his contribution to culture. in the last couple of years, the festival has been organized by the Art association "Inboks" from Novi Sad, which have had the original concept of the event improved, and adapted to modern business and communication courses in arts and culture of the 21st century. In this way, the "Street Artist Festival" stands firmly on the top of similar events during a season in Europe, and as always, invites you to come to Novi Sad on the second weekend in September.
Izvor: Street Art Festival
