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It’s once again time for the Southend City Jam!
If you haven’t seen my first foray in 2024 and my better coverage in 2025, feel free to go back and peep, there are plenty of headliners that are still in the city on a permanent basis!
I actually learned that this is the 5th year of the City Jam which is a great achievement, keeping my ends colourful as the High Street dies along with the rest of the country’s High Streets.
I went on the last official day of the Street Art/Graffiti festival which still had artists working on their pieces and a couple unfinished. I decided to cover as much as possible regardless.
I also tried to get the names of every artist but was unsuccessful as of publishing, so some sections like the first one we’re getting into won’t have the exhaustive list.
So let’s jump in! We begin on Short Street where opposite the bus depot and other industrial buildings are a bunch of different styles on display.
We then move up to Southend Vic Station where the quad box is replenished with Ed209, Marcamix, JXC & Luke Smile along with a fresh piece from Shona Hardie under the stairs leading into the Shopping Centre.
Next is one of my favourite sections every year: The Deeping, featuring: Oddhouse, Odisy, Skyhigh, Ziner, The Last One, Niser and 30 other artists.
We head up to the ground floor and to the head of the High Street for a quad-box featuring Melo, Humble Cherub, Jeru Nomi & Posea.
We then did a right and a left into The Forum Library concourse, featuring first a headline piece from Ansley Randall, Community Doodle Cube hosted by Ling, Street Art on the Cube with Rask, artists Vane MG, Yats and many others.
With the dead body of the Southend campus of the University of Essex looming above me, I head to the next location: Elmer Approach featuring Mind49, Anton, Doodle D, Emesa Amze, Jon Bulley, Outta-Gram, H.Cuar (Had a great coversation with him, shout out to him.) & Gent 48.
I darted in and out of the High Street pop-up park but I’ll cluster then all here, including The Station Approach with Ajax Piper, prefab77, Joe Greenaway; Octofly Art & Dante Arcade under the bridge & Sok, Mark Ward & Smilin Lewie on Tylers Avenue.
And now the biggest chunk, Warrior Square. More than 35 artists for this one!
And right next to Warrior Square we have the Skate Park which is one of my favourite sections for the pure variety.
The City Jam has brought a lot of great permanent works over the years and this year has this great piece from Ellespaint.
We now head down to the Seafront for the three marquee pieces that look out to the sea. This is works by Sofles, Rocket01 & Jeks.
Just down the road from those three is a another quad-box featuring Andy Downes, Dooms, VLAD & Ana Fish.
Next was one that I nearly missed but realised it was being platformed this year: Herbert Grove featuring 10 artists.
Another headliner now to break things up: Tech Moon on the corner of Hartington Place.
We now walk through the Seafront for two more quad-boxes featuring K&B, Olivier Roubieu, Eyesaw, Shauna, Misc.etc & Juliet Townsend.
In the middle of those two, I caught a few headliners opposite Adventure Island: Zurik, Woskerki, Ekto & Ster. (One was unfinished so I didn’t cover it.)
And we now walk back up to a bunch of headliners in and around Alexandra Street, featuring Peter Sheridan, Jimmer Willlmott, Stocke, Roo, Scaf Oner & more.
We now head right into the Clarence Road Car Park for a few headliners from yesteryear (go peep my other posts) & some fresh looks from Sidok Reves, Jacklack, Philth & more.
And finally, as the evening encroaches, I rushed for the last two streets with a combined nine artists: Clarence Road & Clarence Street.
And that’s my Southend City Jam through my eyes! Now if you ever randomly want to visit the city, there are 18 permanent works around the city, not counting this year’s headliners.
I like this as a coverage staple! In these days of monochromes and trendy blues, it’s great to have colours expressed through art for the people to settle in. More colour is needed in our lives!
Until next year…
Charlie Taylor
chillicharlie.taylor@gmail.com
Born in Camden, North London.
Bred in Leigh-On-Sea, Essex.
Screenwriter/Podcaster/Photographer/
Hip-Hop Student.