Consulting & advice.

How should I manage a graffiti problem?

There's no single right approach. Effective graffiti management depends on the location, the type of vandalism, the people doing it, the local cultural context and the community. Standard responses like rapid removal, anti-graffiti coatings and increased patrols can help reduce surface-level impact, but on their own they rarely change long-term behaviour. Also a freshly painted wall is just a nice new canvas for another graffiti writer. A more lasting approach requires a real understanding of why graffiti happens in a place and what kinds of responses can deter or garner respect from the vandals. We help councils, businesses and government work through that thinking, and develop long-lasting strategies rather than having to address the same problem every few months.

How can councils learn about graffiti to better manage it?

The most useful starting point is talking to someone who's spent time inside the culture. Books, policy documents and academic papers can help, but they're limited because graffiti evolves quickly, varies between cities, and rarely fits the categories outsiders impose on it. People who take the time to understand the local scene, why it exists, who's involved, what the rules are and how things change over time, are in a much stronger position to develop responses that actually work. Finding a legitimate graffiti artist to speak with is difficult - as a sub-culture, active writers make an effort not to be seen. Drawing on Dan's 30+ years inside Melbourne's graffiti scene, we work with councils, government departments and policy makers to share that knowledge in workshops, briefings or strategy sessions.

What are the most common mistakes when dealing with vandalism?

The biggest one is treating vandalism as a single problem with a single fix. Tagging on a residential fence, deliberate damage to a public building and a piece on a freight train are three completely different things, made by different people, for different reasons. They need different responses. Rapid removal works in some contexts and accelerates the problem in others. Anti-graffiti coatings protect surfaces but usually need to be reapplied after every cleaning. Commissioning a "cover-up mural" without understanding the local culture often results in the mural itself being defaced. The most common mistake is acting before understanding, then repeating the same response when it doesn't work.

How do you curate a mural program?

Curating a mural program is more involved than most people expect. It starts with understanding the goals: are you trying to deter tagging, activate a precinct, celebrate cultural identity, build community pride, or all of the above? Each goal shifts the brief, the artist selection and the locations. From there it's about sourcing walls (which usually means negotiating with private property owners, not just councils), securing permissions and approvals, developing artist briefs, engaging the right artists for the work and the budget, design oversight, contracts and insurance, understanding safety obligations and assessments, arranging access hire and permits, artist payments, on-site coordination, community engagement, maintenance plans and final artwork completion. We've done this at scale for Merri-bek City Council and can scope a program for your local government area, business district or precinct.