Highly visible locations around Canberra are set to see a new approach to graffiti and street art as the ACT government allocates $250,000 for management from next week's budget.
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Territory and Municipal Services Minister Shane Rattenbury and Chief Minister Andrew Barr will announce a new dual approach for management and promotion on Wednesday, removing illegal graffiti from highly visible locations around the city and co-ordinating sites for legal street art.
Mr Barr said some of the new funding would be spent on efforts to work with the community to co-ordinate street art, while the rest of the money would boost about $500,000 spent each year removing graffiti.
The Territory and Municipal Services Directorate oversees city-wide maintenance contracts for upkeep of urban aeas, with crews regularly undertaking graffiti removal and cleaning of open spaces.
Canberra already has about 24 designated areas approved for street artists to practise their craft and show off original designs.
Mr Barr said the sites brought colour to the city's streetscapes and aimed to reduce unwanted graffiti in unauthorised areas.
"I have seen how effective legal graffiti art sites can be in allowing artists to display their talents while breathing life into areas of the city that are traditionally disused.
"There are some great examples of this in the CBD, such as Tocumwal Lane, which was an initiative of CBD Limited," he said.
Work will begin soon to review the government's graffiti management strategy. Mr Rattenbury said most of the approved sites were
"I am really keen for TAMS to work with businesses and local residents to identify other suitable sites which could brighten up public spaces and provide artists with an outlet for their creative expression," he said.
"The first stage of the review will invite artists, members of the community and the police to a roundtable meeting to gain a better understanding of the issues and needs across Canberra."
