Louise Emberson will improve the management of street art and graffiti in the nation’s capital.

Some see it as vandalism, others as bonafide works of art. Wherever your personal preference, there’s no denying that street art is a part of urban living in Australia. To prevent defacements while encouraging emerging street artists, Louise Emberson has been appointed as Canberra’s new street art coordinator, a role that involves work with the local community to improve management of graffiti and street art in the ACT. Over the past ten years, Territory and Municipal Services (TAMS) have facilitated the organisation of 23 legal graffiti sites in Canberra to create important proving grounds where budding street art talent can develop and experiment.

As part of the new role, Emberson and her team will create an interactive online map to detail site locations and provide information about the rules for those wishing to use the areas. “It’s important that people in the ACT know where the designated graffiti walls are, because they’re perfectly legal for anyone to go and practice and paint on,” she said in an interview with ABC.

This new appointment places Canberra at the forefront of Australia’s flourishing street art movement, and it is particularly significant following recent events in Queensland where “Brisbane’s Bansky” Anthony Lister was arrested for his street art. Canberra, like Brisbane, wishes to be firm in their distinction between street art and vandalism. “If there’s not consent from the person that owns that wall, then it’s a crime and it’s vandalism,” Emberson said. “I’ll work with business and private individuals to link artists to those who have got mural sites, so we can get some more murals around the city.”

The 23 legal sites are typically underpasses or spillways and have been chosen on the basis that they are both safe for artists and also minimise the impact on residents. Patrick Nolan, Manager of Planning and Programs with TAMS, hopes the project will reduce illegal graffiti and the need for its costly removal. “Illegal graffiti costs the ACT Government over $500,000 a year to remove,” Nolan said in an interview with City News. “We’re committed to better managing graffiti, and Louise’s appointment will demonstrate this by working with artists to provide more opportunities to develop their skills at the right locations.”

Canberra commercial street artist Geoff Filmer believes street art is about engaging with the community. “That outlet was how I came to be a professional artist, so I’m super excited that the ACT Government is putting more effort into these wonderful spaces,” he said. “Old people are doing street art too, and it would be great to see a lot of others out there.” Last year Filmer worked alongside a team of street artists as part of an initiative run by Canberra CBD Limited to paint superhero comics in a Civic Laneway, as part of a celebration of Canberra being an arts driven city.

For more information about the 23 graffiti sites in the ACT, visit the TAMS website.

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