‘It creates pride of place’ – Do our cities need more street art?

Proper investment in street art could be the answer to illegal graffiti and vandalism in our cities, according to the head of the Dublin Theatre Festival. Willie White was speaking after it emerged that the cost of removing illegal graffiti will almost double in some areas this year. Dublin Cllr Derren Ó Brádaigh is warning that South Dublin County Council spent €71,000 on graffiti removal last year – and that figure is set to almost double in 2024. Advertisement The Sinn Féin Cllr called for tougher penalties for those “bent on mindlessly spray painting our public spaces” and increased investment in community mural projects that recognise artistic young people. On Newstalk Breakfast today, Mr White said it is important to make the distinction between “vandalism and street art”. “There is certainly very poor-quality graffiti around Dublin that isn’t good to look at,” he said. “There is an anti-social element doing poor quality graffiti around Dublin that isn’t very good to look at,” he said. “Maybe it would be worth trying to do something better instead with the cooperation of artists in the community. “When street art is good, it’s fantastic and really enhances a community.” He noted that graffiti around...