Yardworks Festival: What to know about the Glasgow street art festival as first names revealed for 10th anniversary

Yardworks Festival will return to Glasgow in May to celebrate its tenth anniversary.

Scotland’s leading urban arts and graffiti festival, Yardworks will take place at SWG3 on Saturday, May 2 and Sunday, May 3 as its marks its most ambitious event to date.

From emerging talent to internationally respected muralists, local artists and more, this year the programme has been expanded to include city-wide engagements, live painting, large-scale murals and workshops.

Operated by SWG3’s founding charity Clydeside Initiative for Arts, several names have been announced for Yardworks 2026 so far, including .EPOD, AROE, and Williann, as well as Scotland’s own KMG and Glasgow-based artist David ‘PizzaBoy’ Breen.

Here’s everything you need to know about Yardworks Festival 2026.

When is Yardworks Festival 2026?

Yardworks Festival 2026 will take place at SWG3 in Glasgow on Saturday, May 2 and Sunday, May 3.

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What is Yardworks Festival?

First held in 2017, Yardworks Festival is now a key fixture in the street arts scene. Drawing artists from around the world to Glasgow, creatives come together to paint, draw, inspire and educate others.

Originally a grassroots event, highlights from the last decade of events include a 200-metre graffiti maze, as well as creation of the huge, classical art-inspired mural by PichiAvo which remains in SWG3’s Galvanizers space to this day.

In addition to the festival, there is also Yardworks Studio. Opened in 2023, Yardworks Studio - located in Galvanizers Yard, is the first purpose-built workshop for street arts in Scotland.

What’s on during this year’s festival?

Helping to celebrate ten years of Yardworks Festival, there are already several artists who have joined this year’s line up.

UK-based street artist .EPOD, fuses graffiti, futurism and fine art together to create cinematic murals inspired by hip-hop culture and classical painters. The co-founder of the Heavy Artillery collective, Brighton-based AROE will also be at Yardworks, bringing decades of experience to the event.

Often inspired by 1950s pin-ups, early cartoons and decorative traditions, French muralist Williann will share messages of resilience and feminism with their work.

The last two names confirmed so far are Scotland-based artists KMG and David ‘PizzaBoy’ Breen.

KMG, whose work can be seen in cities such as Aberdeen, is often inspired by Celtic folklore and uses muralism and community engagement to explore cultural identity and marginalised histories.

Aberdeen-born artist KMG is well known for her character work, and her 2021 mural is no exception. Absolutely a hidden gem in the city centre, her large mural depicting black and white character Ken (plus mini Kens) is worth visiting if visiting Aberdeen shopping centre Union Square. The delightfully chaotic scene can be found on Palmerston Road and is sure to bring a smile to the face. | Brian Tallman

Finally, Glasgow-based painter David ‘PizzaBoy’ Breen will evoke late night landscapes and in-between moments with their work, which is shaped by his street art roots.

In addition to the artists taking part, for Yardworks’ tenth anniversary the festival programme has exanded its educational offering, with the Family Zone happening in-house from the SWG3 Warehouse and included in the ticket price to help provide accessible creative activities for children and families.

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There will also be new paid workshops for adults, which will take place on both days of the festival. These cover specialist techniques from signwriting, Japanese calligraphy and paste-ups, as well as a dedicated screen-printing station where visitors will be able to produce a limited-edition Yardworks tote bag.

Also enhanced for Yardworks 2026 is the festival’s industry and talks programme, which will explore the role of graffiti and street art in culture, with round table discussions, film screenings, and a book launch set to bring together both artists and other voices in the space to examine the role urban arts play in shaping communities.

New for 2026, there will also be Street Art Cycling Tours which will depart directly from SWG3 and take attendees through the Yardworks Street Art District along Glasgow’s Riverside while offering insight into the wider public artworks being developed.

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Tickets for Yardworks Festival 2026 on sale now

For those hoping to make the most of Yardworks Festival 2026, tickets are available now from Ticketmaster.

There are tickets for both Saturday and Sunday, as well as the entire weekend.

Yardworks Festival 2026 ticket prices are as follows:

• Adult Day Ticket (17+): £13.50
• Child Day Ticket (Child 5-16): £10
• Family Day Ticket (2 adults + 2 children): £9.50 per person or £38 for a family of 4
• Family Weekend Ticket (17+): £20
• Child Weekend Ticket (Child 5-16): £15
• Family Weekend Ticket (2 adults + 2 children): £13.75 per person or £57.75 for a family of 4

These prices exclude fees.

Find out more about Yardworks Festival on SWG3’s website.