From October 4th to 20th, 2024, Ploiești, Romania, became a vibrant canvas for artistic expression as the Artown Festival returned for its third edition. With over 50 artists from 10 countries participating, the festival turned the city’s urban spaces and the UZUC factory into a living gallery, captivating the community with visual stories that celebrated diversity, intercultural connections, and creativity. The event showcased 19 murals by established and emerging artists, each piece reflecting social themes, abstract ideas, or dreamlike concepts that invited viewers to see their city in a new light. A mural map was made available for visitors, encouraging exploration of these artistic contributions throughout Ploiești’s streets.
The heart of the festival was at the UZUC factory, which, for the duration, transformed into the Urban Zone of Unconventional Culture. Here, Cristian Sisea’s Butaforie exhibition took center stage in the historic fire station, accompanied by installations that blended contemporary art with Ploiești’s industrial heritage. The factory’s repurposed spaces—the fire station, the large hall (featuring an architectural pavilion designed with Alessandro Rocchi), and the main hall—were bustling with creative energy and housed over 60 events.
One of the standout installations was a totemic sculpture by Ciprian Tauciuc, which emerged as the symbolic guardian of this year’s festival. This and other installations within UZUC’s spaces have turned the industrial site into a new cultural landmark for the city, inviting residents and visitors alike to interact with the art through workshops, film screenings, theater performances, poetry evenings, and concerts. The mix of activities, held across various public spaces, enriched Ploiești’s urban landscape, encouraging locals to view familiar places with fresh eyes.
Artown Festival’s street art interventions, a highlight of the event, created unexpected visual experiences throughout the city. Strategically placed installations provided passersby with surprises that redefined their relationship with the urban environment. Each piece invited people to pause, appreciate the details often overlooked in daily life, and feel more connected to their surroundings.
Every mural, sculpture, and performance during Artown Festival became part of an interactive narrative, turning Ploiești into a dynamic hub of cultural exchange. This year’s festival, part of the Ploiești #LetsPLAY Romanian Youth Capital 2024 program and supported by the Municipality of Ploiești, underscored the vital role of art in building a sense of community and revitalizing public spaces.
With main partners like Kaufland, Shopping City Ploiești, NEPI Rockcastle, and DEH – Danube Engineering Hub, and sponsorship from Kraftanlagen, IPIP, WDP, and others, Artown Festival continues to redefine urban art in Romania. It invites all to imagine cities and industrial spaces as platforms for artistic and cultural encounters. Through this initiative, Ploiești has become more than a backdrop for art; it has transformed into an urban laboratory where creativity, culture, and community intersect.
