THE WRITING IS ON THE WALL: AN ASSET-BASED APPROACH TO STREET ART

Authors

  • Jarrod Linkston Wheatley

Abstract

This paper is written from the perspective of Street Art Murals Australia (‘SAMA’), a social enterprise which takes an asset-based and community development approach to street art. SAMA fosters a creative outlet for youth and encourages community involvement through the development of legal avenues of street art. SAMA also recognises the importance of a vibrant street art culture to a more inclusive society, urban renewal and beautification, and creative economies. The current legal and regulatory measures concerning street art, taken by local and state governments in Australia, could be replaced with an approach which recognises the benefits of a self-regulating street art culture and community public art intervention. Society has much to gain by placing street art in the public art domain rather than relying purely on punitive measures. Young street artists deserve to be able to express their artistic and creative freedom in public spaces.

References

A Articles/Books/Reports

Austin, Joe, ‘More to See Than a Canvas in a White Cube: For an Art in the Streets’ (2010) 14(1-2) City: Analysis of Urban Trends, Culture, Theory, Policy, Action 33

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Dovey, Kim, Simon Wolland and Ian Woodcock, ‘Placing Graffiti: Creating and Contesting Character in Inner-city Melbourne’ (2012) 17(1) Journal of Urban Design 21

Iveson, Kurt, ‘War is Over (If You Want It): Rethinking the Graffiti Problem’ (2009) 46(4) Australian Planner 24

Iveson, Kurt, ‘The Wars on Graffiti and the New Military Urbanism (2010) 14(1-2) City: Analysis of Urban Trends, Culture, Theory, Policy, Action 115

Lunn, Matthew, Street Art Uncut (Craftsman House, 2006)

McAuliffe, Cameron and Kurt Iveson, ‘Art and Crime (and Other Things Besides …): Conceptualising Graffiti in the City’ (2011) 5(3) Geography Compass 128

McAuliffe, Cameron, ‘Graffiti or Street Art? Negotiating the Moral Geographies of the Creative City’ (2012) 34(2) Journal of Urban Affairs 189

McAuliffe, Cameron, ‘Legal Walls and Professional Paths: the Mobilities of Graffiti Writers in Sydney’ (2013) 50(3) Urban Studies 518

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Wheatley, Jarrod Linkston and Peter Adams, Zero Tolerance: the Street Artists of the Blue Mountains (Blue Mountains Street Art Collaborative, Lettuce Spray Productions, 2011)

Young, Alison, ‘Negotiated Consent or Zero Tolerance? Responding to Graffiti and Street Art in Melbourne’ (2010) 14(1-2) City: Analysis of Urban Trends, Culture, Theory, Policy, Action 99

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B Legislation

Graffiti Control Act 2008 (NSW)

Graffiti Prevention Act 2007 (Vic)

Young Offenders Act 1997 (NSW)

C Other

Callinan, Rachel, ‘Dealing with Graffiti in New South Wales’ (Briefing Paper No 8/02, Parliamentary Library, Parliament of New South Wales, 2002)

City of Melbourne, Graffiti Management Plan 2014-2018 (May 2014) <http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/AboutCouncil/PlansandPublications/strategies/Pages/Graffitimanagementplan.aspx>

Goh, Derek and Jessie Holmes, New South Wales Recorded Crime Statistics 2013 (2014) NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research <http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/rcs2013.pdf>

Irons, Jessica, Spray Away: Making the Case for Legal Graffiti as a Legitimate Form of Public Art in the City of Sydney (Thesis, University of New South Wales, 2009) <https://www.be.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/upload/pdf/schools_and_engagement/resources/_notes/5A2_45.pdf>

New South Wales Government - Justice, Graffiti and the Law (9 January 2015) <http://www.crimeprevention.nsw.gov.au/Pages/cpd/protectcommunity/graffitivandalism/the_laws_relating_to_graffiti.aspx>

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Published

17.08.2015

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Section

Articles