The Heritage Lottery Fund made a report quantifying the value of British culture to the economy, and The Banksy Exhibition was included in this report as it accounted for 50,000 bed spaces in hotels and guest houses, singlehandedly proving the unquestionable value of street art. Adding to the argument, graffiti-hunting has become a tourist attraction in some cities, with people visiting East London or New York’s Lower East Side with the sole aim of seeing some of the graffiti there. In Bristol in 2012, See No Evil festival saw 50,000 people flock to the streets. “ Some scholars have questioned whether we should consider graffiti criminal damage if in fact, it’s a Banksy piece that’s worth $100,000–if you can somehow get it off the wall, ” says Douglas, a PhD candidate at the University of Chicago. “ The truth is, at this point, some graffiti and street art are arguably contributing to gentrification and contributing to increases in the appeal of certain neighbourhoods. ”
Image courtesy of Ron Ellis / Shutterstock.com
Image courtesy of Ron Ellis / Shutterstock.com
Whether or not you believe graffiti should be legalised, there is no denying that it has developed into a bona fide art form, a legitimate force for economic, cultural and social good. As Eine has been quoted by The Guardian as saying, whilst the Government continues to criminalise, the public have moved on. “ The whole world is covered in graffiti. No one cares. It’s just part of urban noise. ”
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