Take a seat: Al Murphy puts himself in his Naughty Corner installation at VandalFest at 2 Low Ousegate, York
VANDALS At Work – the new name for York street artist collective Bombsquad – are reuniting with youth homelessness charity Safe and Sound Homes(SASH) for VandalFest 2025, the free summer street art takeover of a disused office block at 2 Low Ousegate, York.
Now in its third year, VandalFest builds on the impact of Educated Vandals in 2023 and Rise Of The Vandals in 2024, once again transforming one of York’s tallest riverside buildings into an immersive street art experience, with live installations, on July 11 to 13, July 18 to 20 and July 25 to 27, from 11am to 6pm each Friday to Sunday, when SASH will be supported through donation points on site.
The stripped-out interior provides four floors of blank canvas for bold, site-specific interventions that cover walls, floors and ceilings, where “visitors aren’t just spectators, but part of the art”, to the soundtrack of a roster of live DJ sets.
Putting it in black and white: Chu’s optical illusion at VandalFest
More than 30 artists from across Great Britain and beyond are taking part, from scene-shaping legends to rising stars and home-grown talent. Headliner Inkie, a pioneer of the Bristol graffiti movement and early influence on Banksy, is joined by subversive stencilist Dotmasters, inflatable prankster Filthy Luker, master of optical illusions Chu and rooftop renegade Rowdy.
Contributing too are Toasters, Nol from the Netherlands, KMG, SledOne, Static and Al Murphy with Naughty Corner. York’s own Sharon McDonagh, Lincoln Lightfoot and Boxxhead feature too, showcasing the city’s vibrant and growing street art scene.
“This year’s theme celebrates the playful side of street art: cheeky, witty and designed to make you smile,” says Vandals At Work member Sharon. “VandalFest puts the mischief back in ‘muralism’, offering surprise, wonder, laughter and levity when it’s needed most. It’s bigger, bolder and more creative than ever.”
Spam, by Sharon McDonagh. “My work is strongly influenced by personal experiences, the bloody Menopause and anything that I deem worthy of a mention,” she says. “Funny, dark and a bit angry on occasion”
Make sure to step into In Their Shoes, a bedroom designed by young people supported by SASH staff: an installation that seeks to reinforce how not every child has their own bedroom. Statistics are displayed on the walls, starkly drawing attention to 118,000 young people facing homelessness in 2023-2024, many as young as 16, and to SASH’s provision of 67,174 beds in the past five years in North and East Yorkshire.
A statement on the wall reads: “Welcome…Imagine not having your own safe space? That’s the position our young people are in when they come to SASH.
“This installation replicates a young person’s room in SASH but, with the addition of some shocking statistics and harsh realities that our young people have faced.
Bananas, inflatable installation, by Filthy Luker at VandalFest
“This doesn’t make for the nicest of bed time reading does it? That’s why we need your help so we can help more young people, because everyone deserves the right to stay somewhere safe. So take a look around and put yourself ‘In Their Shoes’.”
Pieces of furniture, donated by York Community Furniture Store and given a fresh look by SASH youngsters, are available to buy via the VandalFest store with all proceeds going to SASH.
The entire top floor plays host to a pop-up shop featuring editioned prints, books and merchandise, alongside a curated selection of original artworks for collectors.
Bean there, done that: Lincoln Lightfoot takes a spray can to York’s iconic Bile Beans advert mural at VandalFest
In addition, Vandals At Work are partnering once again with Tennants Auctioneers for the VandalFest online auction to support SASH, featuring exclusive works donated by participating artists.
Vandals At Work, formerly Bombsquad, is a non-profit York community arts organisation with a passion for street art and a belief that art should do more than merely hang on wall. “It should inform, provoke and inspire change,” says Sharon. “We see street art as a powerful force for good in the community.
“Our mission is to enrich York’s cultural landscape by organising exhibitions, auctions and events that raise funds for York charities while supporting the artists we work with. To date, we’ve collaborated with more than 60 artists and donated more than £55,000 to three charities: York Food Bank, York Mind and SASH.
Sod The Rich, by Chu, up for auction at VandalFest
“We’re proudly grassroots, with a strong DIY ethic and decades of combined experience in the art world among our core team. Born from a shared love of street art and its transformative potential, Vandals At Work is powered by a growing network of committed individuals in York and beyond.”
Safe and Sound Homes (SASH) is a registered charity that works to prevent homelessness in young people aged 16 to 25 across North and East Yorkshire. When a young person is facing homelessness, SASH provides a safe place to stay in the home of a trained volunteer, along with practical, emotional and ongoing support to help them move forward.
SASH’s core services include:
Nightstop, offering emergency accommodation with volunteer hosts for up to two weeks.
Supported Lodgings, longer-term placements for young people who cannot return home and are not yet ready to live independently.
Adjoining VandalFest 2025 artworks by Nicolas Dixson, left, and Bristol street art pioneer Inkie
All hosts are everyday people who care about making a difference. They are fully vetted, DBS checked, trained and supported by SASH Placement Coordinators.
The young people SASH works with are often vulnerable and face complex challenges, including poor mental health, trauma or social isolation. Beyond providing a roof, SASH works intensively with each young person, their host families and external agencies to address root causes and break the cycle of homelessness.
All referrals come through councils and partner organisations after a young person presents as homeless.
Four storeys and plenty of stories in street art: VandalFest at the disused office block at 2, Low Ousegate, York