WHEN WALLS SPEAK: A National Urban Art Movement Connects India and France

Goa Khabar: From 10 February to 9 March 2026, India’s public walls will once again become spaces of dialogue, creativity and shared imagination as Wall Art India returns for its 5th edition, marking a new milestone in one of the country’s most ambitious urban art initiatives.

Led by the Alliance Française network in India, in collaboration with the Embassy of France in India and the Institut Français, Wall Art India has, since 2021, transformed city walls into open-air galleries — free and accessible to all, deeply rooted in local neighbourhoods, and designed to remain part of the urban landscape long after the festival ends.

A month-long artistic journey across India

Spanning 15 cities across the country, the festival brings together 4 internationally recognised artists : two women and two men, three from France (including one from Réunion) and one Indian artist, for a month-long artistic journey shaped by exchange, participation and shared creation.

• Khatra (India), a Baroda-trained artist, is known for his bold, meditative murals that blend typography, abstraction and the raw textures of urban space.

• Kashink (France) is a major figure in international street art, whose vibrant, feminist works challenge social norms and celebrate freedom of identity.

• Kesadi (France) draws on his graffiti background to create poetic compositions inspired by everyday scenes and lived urban realities.

• Dey MKO (France / Réunion) develops large-scale murals marked by an intense palette and powerful symbolism, exploring women’s strength, resilience and collective narratives.

Working closely with local communities, students, NGOs and neighbourhood youth, the artists will create monumental murals that turn public space into a shared creative ground. Each artwork becomes a meeting point, between artists and residents, between India and France, between individual stories and collective memory.

Artist Tours 

Khatra

Goa: 19 Feb – 22 Feb 2026

Venue: Alliance Française Panjim, Goa

2026 Theme: Women, Horizons & New Voices in Urban Art

The 2026 edition places women’s creativity and emerging urban voices at the centre of the project. Through murals, workshops and public encounters, the festival celebrates diversity, resilience and innovation, while exploring new artistic formats and reinforcing its commitment to inclusion and community participation.

The Grand Finale, to be held in Bangalore on 8 March 2026, on the occasion of International Women’s Day, will bring three artists together for a monumental collaborative mural, marking the culmination of a month of shared creation and cross-cultural dialogue.

Art for all, impact for cities

Since its launch, Wall Art India has:

• Created more than 40 murals across India and Sri Lanka, most of which remain visible today

• Reached over 12,000 on-site visitors during its last edition alone

• Generated strong national and international media coverage, contributing to the cultural visibility of host cities

By taking contemporary art beyond traditional institutions, Wall Art India reflects the vitality of India’s cities and affirms the role of art as a tool for inclusion, dialogue and urban transformation.

Strong partnerships supporting creativity

The 2026 edition is made possible thanks to the continued support of partners committed to creativity and public engagement, including JSW, whose contribution supports mural production across the country, and, for the first year, Apollo Tyres, joining the project to champion public art, innovation and community connection.

A shared vision for India’s urban future

In a country where cities are young, fast-changing and deeply creative, Wall Art India resonates strongly with India’s own street-art movements while offering a meaningful international perspective. More than a festival, it is a national cultural movement — one that places public space, youth and imagination at the heart of the conversation.