EDMONTON – The city is looking to curb graffiti vandalism by giving street artists another location to show off their skills.
The first Open Source Street Art free wall opened in Mill Woods last September, as part of a two-year pilot project between the Edmonton Arts Council and the Capital City Clean Up Graffiti management program.
Now, a second free wall is set to open Thursday on the back of the Tire Craft building on Whyte Avenue and 100 Street.
For local street artist A.J.A. Louden the walls are “pretty much paradise.”
“It’s a space to come and freely express ourselves.”
“We don’t always love being locked to our sketch books.”
Katherine Kerr, the Public Art Director for the Edmonton Arts Council, said in a statement that the city recognizes the artistic and cultural value of street art.
“We are happy to be launching an additional site that offers opportunity for street artists to practice and integrate with the community, and to beautify the city.”
Staff on the project will monitor the wall for any illegal or offensive content, which will be removed.
They will also be keeping tabs on graffiti vandalism in the surrounding area to see if the free walls deter illegal tagging.
There are now two free walls in our city: the Tweddle Place tennis court building beside Edith Rogers Junior High School
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