A DESIRE to splash culture and colour onto the streets of Carlisle has led to two new artworks appearing on buildings in the city by famous street artists.

Ben Heslop, from Landmark Street art, in Crosby Street, sells art pieces internationally and works with world-wide street artists.

He set about bridging the art gap disparity between the vibrant art he was working with and art in the streets about two years ago.

Artists were invited to the area and provided with a blank canvas to work on, walls on buildings in Carlisle.

For the latest street art installation Ben has managed to attract two internationally renown street artists to come and create their work on two prominent city buildings

He said: “I had the opportunity to bring Ben Eine and Lucie Flynn.

“This will be the 14th and 15th pieces of street art that we have brought to Carlisle’s streets.”

Ben said it is great exposure for the city and puts Carlisle on the map.

He wants people to be confronted by the art work pieces as they walk around the city and be engaged by them, but does not expect everyone to like all of the pieces. Thought he said that the artworks in the city have been very well received by the public.

The two latest works are from talented artists, Lucie Flynn and Ben Eine, both based in London.

Lucie has been an artist for many years, but this is only the second time she has painted on a wall.

She has chosen to create her piece quite high up on the side of the Thin White Duke. It is an abstract face. Ben has described the piece as being quite a bright artwork of a “quizzical sombre looking person.”

Ben Eine is arguably the most famous street artist as he used to run a company with Banksy and did all his screen printing.

Ben added that David Cameron gave Barack Obama a gift of one of Ben Eine’s paintings when they met.

The artist set off on the wrong side of the tracks, illegally tagging trains and was categorised initially as a vandal.

He then managed to make the transition to artist and since also become a connoisseur of fonts, even inventing some of his own ones.

Lucie Flynn and Ben Eine came to Carlisle last week to do the artworks, staying from Wednesday to Sunday.

From ground level Ben’s piece is five metres high and 15 metres long, covering a whole building.

It is located in an alfreso dining area at the Print Yard, which is a food destination business that will be coming to Carlisle soon.

Ben said he has no problem getting people to agree to the artworks on their walls, he said they are even queuing up to take the pieces. He thinks this is due to the quality of the artworks, and the international standing of the artists, which are well known.

He added that there are plans for a couple more artworks in the future, then any further projects will be reliant on funding availability.

He would like to hear from council’s to private sponsors for future project collaborations.

Ben thanked everyone who has supported this project, which has helped to turn the city into a gallery.

He said: “Town centres are not what they used to be, councils need to make them a gallery for different pieces of art.

“It will draw people in.”

An interactive map showing all 15 of the artworks in the city, which includes creations by Tabby; Ame72; Tymon De Laat; Phoebe Bell; Angry Dan; and Martin Evans can be found at: streetartcities.com

Ben has worked at Landmark Street Art to successfully get engrained in the physical gallery space as well as online.

The aim of the company has been to build on his own personal interest in street and contemporary art and forge links directly with the artists he loves and collects himself.

He has made strong links with a worldwide selection of some of the best in the business. His aim is to be able to offer people a very personal and bespoke experience where he and his dedicated team can match people with the art they like.

He thinks there should be a connection there and it should be a process that should be enjoyable for everyone involved.

They work with their sister company, Edwin Talbot & Co in Cumbria where all the framing takes place.

This is in addition to selling original pieces by local, national and international artists.