Community spirit shines as Wall Games 2026 raises thousands for Northampton Hope Centre

08 September 2026

Europe's largest live street art festival celebrated its most successful year yet as thousands of people visited Northampton town centre over the August Bank Holiday weekend to enjoy a programme of art, music and family activities, while raising £2,000 for Northampton Hope Centre.

Over the three-day festival, more than 330 artists from across the UK and beyond transformed Northampton into an open-air gallery for Wall Games 2026, creating eye-catching murals and live artwork across the town centre for residents, visitors, families and businesses to enjoy.

One of the standout achievements of this year's event was the support shown for Northampton Hope Centre. Through the sale of donated artwork and event merchandise, artists have already raised around £2,000, with fundraising set to continue in the weeks ahead.

A substantial collection of artwork was also donated by participating artists and will now be catalogued and made available through the Hope Centre's website, providing an ongoing opportunity to raise further funds for the charity's work supporting vulnerable people across Northampton.

Organisers are now cataloguing photographs from across the weekend and planning a commemorative Wall Games magazine, with proceeds also supporting Northampton Hope Centre, ensuring the event's charitable impact continues long after the final mural has been completed.

James Thompson, founder of Wall Games, said: "Wall Games has always been about bringing people together through creativity, and this year we saw that community spirit on an incredible scale.

"The support from artists, volunteers, businesses, partners and visitors has been outstanding. Not only have we created an incredible collection of public artwork for Northampton, but we've also raised valuable funds for Northampton Hope Centre and demonstrated the positive impact creativity can have on a community.

"We'd like to thank everyone who contributed their time, talent, donations and support to help make this the most successful Wall Games yet."

Cllr Charlie Hastie, Deputy Leader of West Northamptonshire Council and Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, said: "Wall Games continues to showcase the very best of Northampton, bringing people together, supporting local businesses and creating a real sense of pride in our town.

"The scale and quality of the artwork on display this year has been exceptional, but what makes the event truly special is the way it connects communities and supports important local causes.

"Raising thousands of pounds for Northampton Hope Centre is a fantastic achievement and demonstrates the generosity of everyone involved. We are proud to support an event that leaves a lasting cultural legacy while making a positive difference to people's lives."

The festival attracted significant attention and further strengthened Northampton's reputation as a destination for street art and culture. Despite challenging weather conditions at times, visitors turned out in large numbers, particularly on Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday, with feedback from residents, artists, businesses and visitors overwhelmingly positive.

Northampton Town Council funded additional activities through its grant schemes.

Cllr Keith Holland-Delamere, Chair of the Community Services Committee at Northampton Town Council, said: “The town council was pleased to fund the graffiti art workshops and the Codebreaker Challenge, that almost 100 people took part in.

“It was great to see 20 young people, including teenagers from Free2Talk, learning new skills in the workshops, while the Code Breaker Challenge trail showcased the large-scale artworks created across the town by some of the UK’s finest street artists.”

Mark Mullen, Chief Operating Officer for Northampton Town Centre Business Improvement District (BID), said: "Wall Games has transformed our town centre into a living and breathing art gallery, showcasing some incredibly talented artists and breathing new life to parts of Northampton that have been crying out for some love and attention."