Andrew Cooper, chief executive of Leeds BID, reflects on the importance of the city’s street art - and why it should be respected

Street art, murals and art installations really add positively to the vibrancy of a city centre.

They can make an underpass pop with colour. Artwork can turn sterile and unnoticed walkways like Buttons Yard into places or destinations with vibrancy which feel loved and cared for.

I am therefore surprised when artists don’t respect artists and spray over other people’s artwork, tag a message or create their own artwork or tags in places where it’s not appropriate.

This I understand is part of the street art culture and hierarchy.

The cost of cleaning up graffiti in Leeds costs the local authority a significant amount each year.

LeedsBID, the city’s business improvement district, spends over £50k pa cleaning and repeatedly cleaning graffiti hot spots on either existing artwork or murals or blank walls where the private or public landowner did not commission their artistic expression.

Penny Pocket Park, new mural by Yorkshire-born artist Clboxx. | Gerard Binks

placeholder image — Penny Pocket Park, new mural by Yorkshire-born artist Clboxx. | Gerard Binks

What a waste. Money that could be invested elsewhere must be allocated to meet the cycle of repetitive vandalism.

Surely, we are all Leeds, aren’t we? but sadly some are not and wish to dampen and demotivate the artists who try to lift our city and create a smile with their inspirational artwork.

The Regent Street flyer over is a great example of making a dull underpass vibrant with colour while sitting at the traffic lights, and yet the artist, Emma, is having to be recommissioned to paint over the graffiti.

Offices and murals reflected in the still water of the River Aire in Leeds. | James Hardisty

The gable end near Leeds Playhouse championing the campaign against violence to women and girls has been vandalised while a project to put artwork on utility boxes from artists such as Burley Banksy, also gets tagged with graffiti.

Leeds is such an innovative and creative city, and we should continue to invest in public artwork, murals and paintings that everyone can enjoy and appreciate.

But we need to call out those so-called artists who don’t respect other artists’ work and cost the taxpayer and business community.

LeedsBID has invested in street art including the George Street Welcome Wall, Athena Rising, Inhale, Exhale, and Here We Go Now in addition to creating an online trail to showcase the creativeness in the city centre and beyond.

Let’s keep celebrating the artists whom-enliven our city.