A legal street art wall for Spalding has taken a step closer after a committee to look into the idea was formed.
Artists Karl Barfoot and Adam Sadd set up a petition asking for a legal place for their art in the town after being amazed at the reaction to displays they’d created around Spalding.
Now South Holland District Council’s Policy Development Panel has set up a sub-committee to oversee things such as possible locations.
It’s also set to consider development of a street art policy and an evaluation panel that would approve if the art is acceptable.
It’s to be chaired by Coun Paul Redgate and include Couns Henry Bingham, Rob Gibson and Graham Rudkin.
South Holland District Council’s Nathan Elvery, said: “I think the difference is between street art and graffiti is where the owners of the wall or the property give permission and where they don’t give permission is it’s graffiti.
“In places like Melbourne it’s well regarded as a place where street art is used to create that vibrant, welcoming community space and they’ve been practicing.
“We’ve seen some very good street art that’s been created but what we wish to see fit our corporate plan priorities and street art plan once created.
“An evaluation panel that could bring forward ideas and present the art before it goes up in our communities would avoid any probably accidental causing of offence to our communities.
“I think the two who petitioned created a very solid case.
“It’s the experience of local authorities that once street art is created it tends to push away graffiti and the areas tend not to be defaced.
“We’d want to make sure if they were defaced the responsibility would be with the individual who created it.”
