UP & UP graffiti and hip hop artists and educators Shane Kennedy and Faith Curtis were pioneers in Newcastle's cultural scene

Faith Curtis, an academic originally from Melbourne, and Shane Kennedy, a youth worker from Cardiff, have combined their passions in street art, Hip Hop culture and community to inspire the Hunter Region. Over many years they've influenced artists, rappers, DJs and dancers.

No doubt, you've seen their work: they've made murals everywhere.

They are the creative couple behind UP&UP, a small business officially formed in 2014 specialising in graffiti, murals, street art and music. Their goal is to bring people together and foster community, belonging, and joy.

"It brings us joy, the greatest joy," Kennedy says.

UP&UP (Unique People and Unique Promise) operates under the belief that every person has their own unique skill they can bring to the table (or wall). From the iconic alleyway by Goldbergs to the Hamilton Hive to the Medowie mural, UP&UP collaborate with a variety of street artists and community members.

Kennedy's legacy goes back for more than two decades.

Local rapper Dawn Laird grew up in Wallsend and has been making music for 16 years. She met Kennedy when she was 15 and he was in his 20s, and she gives him credit for influencing her as an artist.

"I was in high school and I'd just fallen in love with Hip Hop in the way that I am now, from a cultural perspective. It wasn't just music anymore," Laird says.

He helped her better understand the culture behind Hip Hop and then later encouraged her to pursue it as an art form. Before she met him she was scared of performing, and he was fundamental in helping her get over her stage fright. He also helped her get gigs.

At the time Kennedy and his mates were running a youth program out of what was at the time the Palais building. They called themselves The Urban Artist Federation. Laird and her best mate met up with him and they began learning more about the Hip Hop and graffiti scene. She remembers that even though it was small in Newcastle, it was buzzing.

"He was always so out there and willing to freestyle," she says. "Everything he did was in the spirit of Hip Hop. It's about being creative with what you've got when you've got it.".

In 2020 UP&UP worked with international street art festival Big Picture Fest. They painted murals and ran workshops.

"Faith and Shane are so passionate about what they do, and it didn't take long for me to realise their impact in the local community," says Becky Kiil of Newcastle Afoot walking tour business. (Kiil also produced Big Picture Fest 2020.) "Several local muralists that I've worked with were mentored or supported by Shane when they were young, and it's been lovely to see that mutual respect continue years later."

Kennedy is on the committee for the festival this year (September 30-October 2). UP&UP are back October 1-2 at Museum Park to celebrate Newcastle street artists and their contributions to the public art scene. The event is free and everyone is invited to come along and create their own Newcastle.

"I wanted to work with them because of the foundations they've laid over many years locally. They bring with them a reputation and street kudos that acknowledges the origins of street art and honours the Newcastle street art story," says Big Picture Fest's producer Katerina Skoumbas.

Street art festivals like Hit The Bricks, Street Art Walking and The Big Picture Fest have brought international artists and widespread recognition to Newcastle and the surrounding region over the last 10 years.

"Graffiti artists in Newcastle played a big role in the development of public art in Newcastle. Now we have massive international artists, huge murals and street art in Newcastle. We acknowledge and understand that graffiti culture started something; their work wasn't welcomed inside galleries, so they created their own galleries on the streets" Kennedy says.

Kennedy did his diploma in youth work and community service. He needed direction and grew up thinking that youth workers weren't always his friend.

"Growing up my experiences with youth workers were not always positive. So I was uncomfortable in the beginning with that label. I identified more as a Hip Hop culturalist, using the elements of Hip Hop culture to engage young people" Kennedy says. "However it was viewed from the outside, I knew I could go and make a difference."

He needed to water down the youth worker idea and become okay with the title. He studied for a few years and found he was happy to marry the idea of youth work and creativity. Before he started UP&UP he was using his love of Hip Hop and music to work with local government. At the same time Curtis was just finishing her PhD and working as an academic.

"The longer that Shane was in local government doing community development, the more he was in front of a computer and not in the community and this wasn't where he wanted to be. At the same time the Newcastle City Council venue The Loft shut down. We saw an opportunity to use our skills to creatively engage young people so we're like 'let's just start our own business', " Curtis says.

They started with a few workshops and the news about their initiative began to spread. They didn't have to advertise; they had years of contacts and networking under their belt.

Their most predominant work is mural projects. They teach how to spray paint, how to design a mural, they teach about street art and then everyone paints the mural. They are proud to work with First Nations people, migrants, refugees and the queer community.

They recently worked with the Hamilton South community, chatting with the public about what is important to them, making sure people understood the mural is theirs and asking them what story they wanted to tell.

In another recent project, police funded UP&UP to do a two-day program with Hume Housing in Tenambit. UP&UP spent the first day with young people, many who were underprivileged, asking them what words they wanted to represent their community. The attendees chose words like "be kind" and "show respect".

"It ended up being all this positive messaging. It was letter driven, and that takes us back to the core foundation of style writing," Kennedy says.

For Kennedy, graffiti and Hip Hop is youth culture, but the generational gap doesn't exist.

"I feel like I can have a straight conversation with a young person and we'll engage on all the elements, music, art, dance, any of those forms because it's a youth culture. It's a culture that young people started for young people, that has spread around the world," Kennedy says.

UP&UP love working with a variety of young people ranging from art students to at-risk youth, but they've also shifted to involving a variety of organisations and businesses in the community.

"The first few years we were definitely more youth focused. That's really evolved, as street art and graffiti art has become more mainstream," Curtis says. "UP&UP has since evolved from youth-focused to a broader community because we really believe in the power of creativity and imagination to promote well-being, community cohesion and more inclusive societies."

Companies like Hunter Water have employed them to run programs with primary schools. They were employed by Australian Rail Track for a massive Quirindi Murals project.

"We really embedded ourselves in the community before they were painted," Curtis says.

What I love to do is go back to my existing Hip Hop culture, being a culturalist and 2nd generation Hip Hopper in Newcastle," Kennedy says. "I've had the opportunity to work with young people who have gone on to do amazing things, locally and internationally. Mentoring is a big part of UP&UP, so is being a positive role model."

Kennedy has been also been a breakdancer for the last 38 years.

"The other arm is UP&UP is the Hip Hop programs." Curtis says.

Like the street art, it's about building people's confidence and self-esteem, as Laird can attest.

"Everyone is creative because they have a beat machine in their chest. Everyone can rap it's a step up from nursery rhymes," Kennedy says.

The two are still deciding the direction they want to take UP&UP moving forward. She and Kennedy aren't motivated by money and feel privileged to do what they love, but also don't want to create a massive organisation.

"We are proud of what we do and we think that UP&UP really works and it provides people with joy," she says

One thing she knows is that there's no way to replicate Kennedy and his passion and enthusiasm.

"The fruit is always reachable within Hip Hop culture," Kennedy says. "Why would you leave a culture that brings you warmth? People want to be a part of it. It's a culture you don't retire from."