Wiltshire Council is piloting a new legal art wall in Melksham to give artists the opportunity to showcase their talent without vandalising property.
The new art wall will be situated at the underpass on the A350 Bath Road in the town, and while it will continue to be managed and monitored by Wiltshire Council, a local community arts group will take on the day-to-day running of the wall, including the maintenance and cleaning of the artwork.
It will be the responsibility of all the users to ensure they keep to the specified area and adhere to the code of conduct, which includes no offensive tags and respecting all users of the underpass. All materials, such as paint and other art supplies, will be provided by the wall users, and the council will step in to remove any inappropriate artwork if required.
Cllr Nick Holder, Cabinet Member for Highways and Street Scene, said: “Graffiti is a longstanding antisocial issue across the country, and so we’re pleased to be able to trial this legal art wall in Melksham, with the hope it can be a success to roll out into other areas of the county.
“The aim is to both reduce illegal and unsightly graffiti, and to give local artists a legal outlet to share their talents.
“We’ve spoken to other authorities, mostly in urban areas, that have trialled similar projects, and they have seen a fall in illegal graffiti, along with increased engagement with the community, and we hope we can do the same here in Wiltshire.
“We hope to see some fantastic artwork showcased on the wall once it launches later this year – along with a decrease in illegal graffiti in Melksham during the coming months.”
To get involved in the project, people should contact Richard Rogers, Strategic Engagement and Partnerships Manager, on email hidden; JavaScript is required.