Legal wall

In typical graffiti spaces, going over someone elses writing (or "capping") is an insult, but legal walls are often repainted multiple times a day with no disrespect taken by artists.{{Cite journal |last=Ericsson |first=Hjalmar |date=2020 |title=Graffiti: A subculture alive within the legal. A pluralistic study of the regulations within Swedish graffiti and the influences of formal law. |url=http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9017281 |journal=LUP Student Papers}}

Some writers dismiss legal graffiti as "not real" and avoid legal walls. These people may consider a writer who uses legal walls to be a toy (inexperienced or uncultured writer). Some writers believe that legal walls defeats the purpose of graffiti, as a rebellious act to reclaim public space. Writers interested in acquiring graffiti "fame" are often uninterested in legal walls. Despite this, legal walls are used equally by both inexperienced and experienced writers. They can attract "retired" writers who are at a higher risk from doing illegal graffiti.

Cameron McAuliffe says legal walls can help legitimise graffiti as an art form. This was seen on a legal wall in Malmö, where after a group of young people were attacked by neo-nazis, large scale protests were held and a local legal wall was painted with a piece using the words "Kämpa Malmö" ("Keep fighting Malmö") with a rainbow ribbon, and the anti-fascist slogan "No Pasaran". The piece became an attraction, and was restored multiple times. There were calls for the art to be protected by the local council.

There is debate about whether legal walls discourage or encourage illegal graffiti. Paramatta in Australia used to have several legal walls, but after the local council decided on a zero-tolerance policy in related to graffiti in 2009, all but one of the legal walls were demolished. The council said that graffiti had decreased in the area since the legal walls were removed.{{Cite web |last=Whyte |first=Sarah |date=2011-05-14 |title=Councils write off graffiti walls |url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/art-and-design/councils-write-off-graffiti-walls-20110514-1en7v.html |access-date=2024-05-22 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}} Other research has shown that legal walls reduce illegal graffiti by giving writers a safer, often visible space for their art.{{Cite journal |last=Gee |first=Elizabeth |date=2013-01-01 |title=City Walls Can Speak: The Street Art Movement and Graffiti's Place in First Amendment Jurisprudence |url=https://digitalcommons.law.villanova.edu/mslj/vol20/iss1/7 |journal=Jeffrey S. Moorad Sports Law Journal |volume=20 |issue=1 |pages=209 |issn=1074-9187}} Opponents of legal walls argue that if writers wanted to produce art legally, they would already be using canvases instead of illegal spaces.

Some places are "grey areas", where graffiti is not legal but is generally left up by authorities, often due to popularity with tourists. These include Hosier Lane in Melbourne{{Cite news |date=2020-04-04 |title='It's a bad look for Melbourne': The street artist who wants to take back creative control of the city |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-05/melbourne-laneway-street-art-artists-concerned-for-future/12042794 |access-date=2024-05-08 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}} and Rush Lane (Graffiti Alley) in Toronto.{{Cite web |title=YYZ Why?: Graffiti Alley evolved to become a top Toronto destination – Toronto {{!}} Globalnews.ca |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/5742398/graffiti-alley-toronto/ |access-date=2024-05-22 |website=Global News |language=en-US}} Others walls exist as something between commissioned art and legal walls, and are curated, invitation-only art walls that are in public spaces but not open to anyone to paint on such as the Venice Art Walls.

Fully legal walls include

• 5 Pointz
• Graffiti Alley, Baltimore
• Graffiti tunnel at the University of Sydney{{Cite web |title=USYD Graffiti Tunnel – Street Art Cities |url=https://streetartcities.com/markers/7240 |access-date=2024-05-08 |website=streetartcities.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Diehl |first=Caleb |title=Sydney University keeps street art alive while others scrub it away |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/college/2015/01/23/sydney-university-keeps-street-art-alive-while-others-scrub-it-away/37400001/ |access-date=2024-05-08 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}
• House of Paint (skatepark)
• Leake Street
• Modica Way
• The Buszy (skatepark)

• Broken windows theory
• Public art
• Legal graffiti spaces (category)

• [https://www.legal-walls.net/Legal-walls.net Legal-walls.net] – interactive map of legal walls globally, user-based content

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Category:Graffiti and unauthorised signage

Category:Walls