UPAW presents a cheque for 45,000 € to the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation to preserve the mediterranean monk seal

Alberto Colman, creator and organiser of Urban Painting Around the World (UPAW), an event that has been bringing together the best street art artists in Monaco for the past five years, presented Olivier Wenden, Vice-President of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, with a cheque for 45,000 euros to benefit the initiative dedicated to saving the Mediterranean monk seal: the Monk Seal Alliance.

The 2021 edition of the UPAW took place from 4 to 8 July at the foot of the Monaco dike, providing artists with a unique setting to create their artwork live. The sum donated came from the proceeds of the auction of their paintings which was held on the last day of the event. Two of the eleven artists who participated in the summer street art performance, Mr OneTeas and Tones, were also present on Wednesday 20 October to attend the cheque presentation.

Olivier Wenden praised the work done by UPAW, underlining:

"that today we need to find disruptive solutions to preserve the environment. Bringing together art and the protection of the planet, as UPAW does, is important to raise public awareness. The Foundation is very honoured to receive this donation for its work to preserve the Monk Seal, a species that seemed to have completely disappeared twenty years ago. The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation has long been committed to the conservation of this emblematic species, supporting projects in the Mediterranean since 2011. In 2019 a new step was taken with the creation of the Monk Seal Alliance, with the ambition to multiply existing actions and intensify concrete efforts to protect the species."

UPAW is proud to be an ambassador of street art while contributing to the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation's actions in favour of environmental preservation. Alberto Colman highlighted the projects supported in previous editions: "In the first three years, we helped the foundation's project to save chimpanzees in Uganda; in 2020, we contributed to the BeMed initiative to combat plastic in the Mediterranean and, this year, to the protection of monk seals."

The two main sponsors of the event were particularly pleased as engineer Riccardo de Caria, founder of VIANORD, underlined that he was honoured to contribute to the development of initiatives such as UPAW, where art is made out of pure pleasure with uninterested enthusiasm.

Dr Carlo Maturi, Managing Director and CEO of EFG Bank, said it would be a pleasure to be present next year to help develop the street art event.

The artworks sold at this 2021 edition of UPAW were created by : Andrea Ravo Mattoni, Nadib Bandi, Michael Beerens, Chicadania, El Pez, Manomatic, Mister Piro, Jacques Schneider, Cacao Rock, Mr OneTeas and Tones.

This street art event brings together artists from different countries around the world every year. The list of artists expected next year is already nearly complete.  They will have the privilege to express their art on the terraces of the Casino de Monte-Carlo. The 2022 edition will also be the occasion to hold the 2nd Junior Challenge co-organised with the City Hall of Monaco, a long-standing partner of the UPAW. Urban Panting Around the World is supported by the Government of Monaco, the Tourism and Congress Department and the Cultural Affairs Department of Monaco.