Murals, Street Art, Graffiti
How can cities regulate art in the public sphere?
Focus
Our research focuses on Street art – on buildings, fences, vacant lots, and everywhere in the public domain. Certain types of street art were once considered as illegal, but in recent years it has been accepted as part of the urban toolkit. The legal challenges posed by artistic interventions and regulations are a critical issue being investigated by a small but growing community of policy researchers. In this regard, our lab investigates laws enacted by over 100 cities around the world to encourage street art and murals through regulatory changes, financial incentives, and public participation.
Lab members on street art
While promoting mural policies, city administrations are faced with the difficult task of determining
the level of control they wish to maintain over urban public spaces.
Murals have become a familiar element in urban landscapes around the world, providing benefits for individuals, communities, and cities
Given the adoption (or co-optation) of murals as an acceptable, and even desired, municipal tool, local governments around the world have established their own mural policies