One hundred and fifty artists had applied to take part, attracted by the eye-catching proposal from Fermax: 1,600 sqm of facade to work on and 20,000 Euro for the winning idea. After this first stage, the finalists have several weeks to present their project. One of them will transform the image of this corner of Valencia, which is already a legend in the world of Street Art.

Applications have been received in Valencia from everywhere, from Australia to the USA, Lithuania, China, Brazil and India, from graffiti artists interested in participating in this contest, in which Fermax intends to repaint its facade and renew its commitment to Street Art. Tender call was issued in March and, within a few weeks, the company had received the candidatures of 142 artists from 18 countries with strong trajectories and diverse styles. The jury met and shortlisted the ten finalists for this initial phase, who will each have 1,000 Euro and a deadline that ends on June 15th to submit their sketches and a technical report.

The selected finalists are the German team Zebu, from Berlin; two candidates come from Argentina: Elián Chali and Pastel; French artist Hone, a seasoned veteran who began painting walls near railway tracks in the late eighties; Albertonero, an artist from Northern Italy; Himed & Reyben, Mexicans from Querétaro; and the most numerous group corresponds to Spanish artists, Dadospuntocero from Leon, RSR, also known as Roice-Srger-Rosh, Marest who finds inspiration in the sea; and finally a Frenchman who lives halfway between his native country and Valencia: Paul Loubet.

Those responsible for selecting the ten finalist artists for the 2nd Fermax International Street Art Contest were the jury already scheduled, consisting of two Fermax executives (Alberto Maestre and Elena Ravello), the gallerist specialising in graffiti Anna Dimitrova and two professors from the UPV involved in the development of urban art (Juan Canales and Juan Bautista Peiró López). Ramón Benedito, designer of most Fermax products, preferred to abstain on this occasion and vote in the next phase, when the sketches of the murals are on the table.

On June 29th, the winner of the contest will be chosen, and will then have to begin the work this summer.