Question - ACT Policing

1. What was the total budget of the ACT Government’s graffiti program in 2022.
2. What was the actual amount of money spent on these programs in 2022.
3. How many graffiti programs are run, and in what locations.
4. How are the mentoring programs conducted, who conducts them, and where do they take place.
5. Is there any available data on the outcomes of these programs in terms of remediation of graffiti 
6. Does this data indicate an increase or decrease in graffiti incidence as a result of the programs.

(1) In the financial year 2021-22, the total budget was $661,317.26

(2)

(3) The number of street art programs varies every year depending on requests by the community, budget available and partnership opportunities. The locations also vary each year; however, an attempt is made to ensure projects are distributed across Canberra. Projects in the 2021-22 financial year included:

• Haig Park – Silver Sprayers (older person’s) project 
• Woden legal practice walls (with Woden Community Service and Tuggeranong Arts Centre)
• Woden Skate Park (with Woden Community Service and Galilee School)
• Wanniassa Illoura Child Care Centre (with Communities at Work)
• Surface Street Art festival – (40 projects across Braddon, Civic, Gungahlin and Woden and Parliamentary Triangle)
• Erindale (with YWCA Mura Lanyon) 
• Aranda (with Greening Australia)
• Civic art tour project (with Localjinni)
• Hackett (with Blue Gum School)
• Farrer shops (with Farrer Residents Association)
• Gungahlin (with Northside Community Service)
• Hall Park
• Yerrabi Pond

Many other street art projects across Canberra are funded by other organisations and other parts of the ACT Government, were also supported by the Graffiti Program (through advice and other support).

(4) Mentoring programs are carried out on a case-by-case basis. Often projects are designed closely with community, youth groups or schools. Often social workers, youth workers or teachers in these organisations help coordinate and support the mentoring projects. Professional artists who have mentoring experience are selected to mentor artists or community members. Mentoring projects that involve community members are usually carried out at a youth or community centre, and sometimes at a later stage at a mural site. Mentoring projects with artists are usually carried out onsite.

(5) Qualitative responses from the graffiti community, artists and community groups suggests these programs have had success in helping develop rapport and trust among some of the graffiti community and help encourage some illegal taggers to use legal practice walls and develop professionally as street artists instead. 

Supporting street art in Canberra also helps legitimise it as an art form which gives greater options and livelihood streams for those that might have been doing illegal graffiti initially. Additionally qualitative evaluation of some of these projects suggests stakeholders commonly believe these programs help activate the creative arts culture and industry of Canberra, as well as helping local people develop a stronger sense of pride and ownership over a place and creates a more interesting and appealing city.   

(6) This cannot be determined at this time as illegal graffiti has increased in the ACT in the last three years (the COVID-19 era), which appears consistent with national and international evidence.