AN academic has suggested creating legal spaces for graffiti and street art, saying it is a way of "implementing meaningful public art into the built environment".
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The University of New South Wales' Jessica Irons argues in the thesis Spray Away that a lack of understanding of graffiti leads to non-youth rejecting it as art.
But legal graffiti projects like murals can adapt different styles for a wider audience, she argues in the 2010 paper, creating legitimate forms of public art.
"Public art can be used to address problems linked to a lack of care, maintenance and respect for a place by bolstering a community's investment in art, and thereby encouraging a sense of ownership and pride," Ms Irons writes.
Legal projects from local governments in Sydney, Melbourne, Cairns, California and New Jersey are noted for their success.
Ms Irons also references the efforts of business owners in Sydney's Alexandria and St Peters in creating innovative spaces on the outside of their shops.
The academic's views are not shared, however, by Forster's Ted Bickford.
"It's disastrous," the rapid remover said of creating legal spaces.
"Even in places like Newcastle you can see how it doesn't work if you tell kids 'you can do it here but you can't do it there'."
He said the zero tolerance method in the Great Lakes area works.
"The kids here know that if it gets put up, we'll take it off."
