VANDALFEST – NOW OPEN – LOW OUSEGATE, YORK
ABOUT US
Vandals At Work is a York-based non-profit community arts organisation with a passion for street art and a belief that art should do more than just hang on walls and look pretty, it should inform, spark conversations and be a call to action. We believe art can be a powerful force for good in our community.
We aim to enrich our city’s cultural landscape by organising exhibitions, auctions, and other events that enable us to raise money for local charities and help support the artists we collaborate with. To date, we've worked with more than sixty artists and have donated over £55,000 to three local charities, York Food Bank, York Mind and SASH (Youth Homelessness).
We’re grassroots and authentic, with decades of combined experience in the art world among our core members. Our DIY ethic runs deep. Vandals At Work grew from a shared love of street art and a belief in its transformative power for the communities in which it resides. The Vandals At Work collective is made up of a growing network of committed individuals based in York and beyond.
If you are wondering what happened to BombSquad, you can read our statement about it here.
UPCOMING EVENTS: VANDAL FEST - JULY 2025
Visit the Vandal Fest website: vandalfest.uk
Street art returns to the Low Ousegate building in the centre of York. Kindly donated by Mack & Lawler. Our next event opens on 11th July 2025 and will span four storeys of the unoccupied building, featuring the work of an exciting group of world-class street artists alongside a cohort of local artists.
The event will be raising funds for SASH, a registered charity preventing homelessness in young people aged 16 to 25 throughout North and East Yorkshire.
Below is the teaser video for Vandal Fest 25, check our instagram for regular updates about the event:
GET INVOLVED
Vandals At Work is staffed entirely by volunteers. Want to help us? We're always looking for volunteers, artists, and sponsors. Contact us to find out how you can help us grow and be part of the Vandals At Work mission.
PROJECT GALLERY
Pictured below from left to right, recent and upcoming projects.
- Vandal Fest 25 logo design. The exhibition opens on 11th July at 2 Low Ousegate, York. YO1 9QU.
- Artwork on the roof of the Vandals At Work Low Ousegate building created by artists Rowdy and Mighty Mo. It's illuminated at night and has become a new landmark for York city centre.
- Our most recent addition to the City, Dotmasters artwork in the centre of York on the entrance to Fabrication Studios on Feasegate.
- Proposed artwork by Inkie for our upcoming Vandal Fest event in July 2025.
- An imposing large scale Sweet Toof artwork painted inside the dining area at Spark York.
OUR VANDAL FAMILY
Since launching in 2021, we’ve been fortunate to collaborate with over 60 artists, spanning the full spectrum of the street art scene and beyond.
From legendary pioneers to underground trailblazers, our roster includes a wide range of creative voices that are both figurative and abstract. Whether iconic or emerging, each artist has helped shape what Vandals At Work stands for.
Here’s our ever-growing list of collaborators, past and present. We’re extremely grateful to every single one of them for supporting the Vandals At Work mission.
3Dom, AcerOne, Al Murphy, Albert Diaz, Ange Bell, Anthony Appleyard, Ben One, Bortusk Leer, Boxxhead, Brandalism, Carl Cashman, Carrie Reichardt, Chu, Clown Skateboards, Coloquix, Andy Council, Dan Cimmermann, Dotmasters, Filthy Luker, Gavin Turk, Inkie, James Jessop, Jess Wilson, Jim Mcelvaney, Jimmy Cauty, Jo Peel, KMG, Kid Acne, Lincoln Lightfoot, Listen04, Lost Hills, Lushsux, Matt Sewell, Michael Dawson, Mighty Mo, Mul, Nicolas Dixon, Nick Grindrod, Nol, Pahnl, Part2ism, Phlegm, Pink Boneyard, Prefab77, Real State, Remi Rough, Replete, Rizak, Rowdy, SAMO, Sepr, Sharon McDonagh, Shona Hardie, SledOne, Soda, Sola, Static, Stephen Bottrill, Sub Spacer, Sweet Toof, The London Police, Toasters, Urban Layers, War Boutique.
A SHORT HISTORY OF THE WORD VANDAL
The Vandals were a Germanic tribe infamous for their sack of Rome in 455 AD, during which they were said to have desecrated priceless artworks and monuments. This act of cultural destruction cemented their name in history, giving birth to the term "vandalism", originally a byword for the ruin of artistic and cultural heritage.
In today's world, the term "vandal" has taken on a new life. What was once a label for destruction is now a badge of creativity and rebellion. Modern street artists, often branded as "vandals," transform urban landscapes with color, commentary, and a spirit of defiance. They challenge societal norms, turning the act of "vandalism" into a powerful form of self-expression and social commentary. In this way, the legacy of the Vandals lives on—not through destruction, but through the creation of art that reclaims and enhances public spaces. A city without vandals is a city without a soul.