The Project
Tasked with the theme of ‘persuasion’ for our Digital Workflow assessment, we have taken on the role of a small, local, non-for-profit organization (Street Art Matters, or SAM) that is seeking to persuade the Melbourne City Council to implement a system of graffiti protection across the CBD. Concurrently, the proposal is to be presented to the Melbourne City Council accompanied by a supporting petition, so our persuasive approach also targeted the general public as we attempted to garner widespread support for the issue.
Why Street Art Matters
While wall murals, stencil art and spray tags were once viewed as an eyesore, a defacement of property, today graffiti has swiftly become a unique part of Melbourne’s urban fabric, contributing to the city’s vibrancy and culture. Sprawled across the walls of our city’s alleys, our neighbour’s back fences and on the sides of buildings, graffiti is accessible to all. Every piece is individual, each with its own look, message and canvas – and with no admission fee. And while our galleries continue to produce exhibitions of great prestige and esteem, no other style of art is able to bring these uncensored, brash messages and social commentaries to a widespread audience and on such a frequent and relevant basis. Melbourne’s graffiti culture is now world-renowned and has become a highly coveted aspect of our city’s urban culture, but will little acknowledgement from the Melbourne City Council and other governing bodies. As a result, many artworks have been left to decay, with many more already destroyed, either by the elements or at the hands of the city’s own cleaning programs. Concerned about the lack of an appropriate protection program and with no industry organisation in place, Street Art Matters is an attempt to support Melbourne’s expanding graffiti scene, specifically through the implementation of a government-run protection scheme. Overall, the organisation aims to legitimise graffiti as a valid form of art and as a vital component of Melbourne’s cultural scene.
SAM Workflow 