Street art. It’s everywhere. AND, a lot of it can be very inspiring. Maybe enough to move there?
An abandoned ghost town in Southern Italy has come back to life, all thanks to over 140 murals that have turned the area into a ‘street art hotspot’. The region’s population was shrinking, because most of the young people left for jobs and fewer babies were born there. Then, along comes a local artist, Lino Lombardi, 57. He wasn’t happy seeing his hometown fade away. Lino started an annual Street Art Festival in 2017. The festival invites artists from around the world to paint murals.
Today, more than 140 murals can be seen in the town of Stornara. The art murals feature themes including agriculture, migration, local life. Tourism has surged 25% in the last 5 years. New businesses, restaurants and bed and breakfasts have come to stay. Young families are moving back!
This art festival has restored community pride and is inspiring other struggling towns to do the same thing.
