Graffiti gets the go-ahead from council
Fri 04 November 2011
Karina Eastway, Bachelor of Communication
In a case of “if you can’t beat them, join them”, Sunshine Coast Regional Council (SCRC) is using graffiti murals to beautify its skate and BMX parks.
The project, a joint venture between Council and the Sunshine Coast Arts Industry Precinct (SCAIP), allows for community approved graffiti murals to be applied to existing skate park spaces.
The Council aims to address the effects of illegal graffiti such as associated anti-social behaviour, negative community perception and cleaning costs.
Tumbledown Park Skate Park at Currimundi was the first to undergo council’s beautification project, including a clean-up day with art demonstrations and workshops.
Kawana Skate Park has also been given the green light for a graffiti makeover.
SCAIP program manager Adam Lewczuk said that hopefully it would promote a sense of community ownership of the skate and BMX park so that locals would look out for the area and use it more.
“A report will be sent back to council and if the graffiti project is something that’s seen as a good strategy, there’s another 30 skate parks remaining in the region,” Mr Lewczuk said.
The issue of illegal graffiti was raised as part of council’s Skate and BMX Strategy 2011-20 document last year, a planning, development and management guide for local skate and BMX facilities on the Coast.
Mr Lewczuk said that three local professional graffiti artists would be employed by council as each graffiti mural project was approved.
The artists, already some of the most respected in their field, used their expertise to clean and prepare the surface, and then paint the graffiti murals based on what the community selects as its favourite design.
SCAIP also works with the community so the locals and illegal taggers know which artists are doing the graffiti mural and there is less chance of vandalism or removal.
“It’s about territory. The graffiti code of ownership means that we don’t bring in artists from outside the Sunshine Coast area. That would be offensive (to graffiti artists),” Mr Lewczuk said.
“There’s a big difference between illegal graffiti and art.
“When it’s done right with consultation between the artist and the community the art should last 12 months.
“It keeps it fresh, alive and colourful and is cheaper than graffiti removal.”
Mr Lewczuk said that illegal graffiti was part of a wider problem of youth disengagement, and explained that when someone has little feeling of connection to their community, they generally mark public spaces in order to gain a sense of ownership.
However, the murals aim to empower people that feel disconnected or alienated and bring them back into the space while treating it appropriately.
Skate parks play a significant role in the region’s community infrastructure, with an estimated 70,000 children and young people on the Sunshine Coast.
A 2009 council survey showed a large increase in the number of young people involved in skateboarding and rollerblading, demonstrating a shift from the traditional sports of scootering and bike riding.
In the previous three years, the percentage of children aged five to 14 involved in skateboarding and rollerblading rose from 24 per cent to 49.3 per cent.
In scooter riding and bike riding, the percentage dropped from 68 per cent to 60.4 per cent.
Queensland children aged five to 14 also had the third highest rate of participation in skateboarding and rollerblading compared to other states and territories.
The implications to council are to ensure that local skate parks are developed and maintained adequately to facilitate these activities.
In turn, this promotes recreation and physical activity in children, and a way for them to connect and feel a part of their community.
Boardstore, the largest skate provider on the Sunshine Coast, director Rob Bataev said that council’s mural projects were a good idea, as illegal graffiti could be quite dangerous to skaters.
“I don’t mind it (the graffiti) but when it gets on the ramps it can get quite slippery, which can be a bit annoying and I’ve seen a lot of accidents,” Mr Bataey said.
“Years ago it used to be pretty bad but council are [sic] getting pretty quick at cleaning it up now and painting over the graffiti.”
Mr Bataev said that there was a definite stigma for young people who hung out in the skate parks, caused by the anti-social behaviour of tagging.
“Most people skate to have fun and the people graffiti tagging are not usually the skaters,” Mr Bataey said.
“The graffiti can be quite good but sometimes it’s inappropriate.”
Council has a strategy in place for illegal graffiti maintenance including education, rapid removal and prevention.
Anyone with information on illegal graffiti should contact Sunshine Coast Regional Council on 5475 7272 or call Queensland Police Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Image(s) designed by Karina Eastway
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Submitted Comments
Love the article. What a great idea.
Marie Madden
Very cool article. I think this is a good idea for the council to just 'go with it' and let me decorate with graffiti.
Wesley