Street Art

Street art adds colour, life and vibrancy to spaces. It gives artists a chance to make important social and environmental statements, or add decorative vitality and humour to dull places.

Adelaide City Council has responded to the demand for more street art by approving some Council-owned property to feature murals. Street art is a form of public art that allows artists to experiment with their skills and techniques, and explore ideas that challenge the public. It can connect communities and generate questions about Adelaide’s future, celebrating the cultural richness of the city.

Mural projects funded in 2011 on Council owned property include projects that involved the following artists :

● Peter Drew – coordinated a mural, along with 14 other artists at Topham Mall.
● James Dodd – a nationally respected artist, completed the mural on the Western wall of Morphett Street Bridge. 
● ABOVE – an international artist who visited Adelaide to mentor local SA artists Chris Edser, Ankles and Tristan Kerr. They worked on the Morphett Street Bridge Eastern wall. ABOVE's specialty is witty typography-based works. This project was coordinated by Josh Fanning and was co-funded by Adelaide City Council and Arts SA.
● Seb Humphreys – an Adelaide-based artist with a growing reputation in aerosol and street art, produced a number of murals on the pylons of the Morphett Street Bridge.

In addition to the Street Art special project, Adelaide City Council has an annual Arts and Living Cultures grants program, with a Public Art Grant category that awards grants to artists and arts organisations to produce art projects, many of a temporary nature. These may include street art projects.

Council has developed a guide to help artists understand the logistical and legal procedures that are necessary when creating public art murals. It guides artists through property owner approval, development approval, obtaining a city works permit and advises about public liability insurance.

» Murals: Information Guide

Street Art 2011 Directory 

Morphett Street Bridge Pylons September 2011 Artist: Seb Humphreys Photo: Don Brice An example of Seb Humphrey’s signature green tree murals on the Morphett Street Bridge
Hindley Street Toilet June 2011 Artist: Jesse Jacobs Photo: Don Brice
Morphett Street Bridge East May 2011 Artists: ABOVE, Chris Edser, Ankles, Tristan Kerr Coordinated by Josh Fanning Photo: Don Brice "We decided to paint a word play on Sticks and Stones to relate the adversities of this wall's rocky surface"
Morphett Street Bridge West May 2011 Artist: James Dodd Photo: Don Brice "I like the idea of men in business suits playing childish games and basically enjoying themselves rather than working really hard. I also liked being able to play with the physicality of the space, especially the idea that these characters might actually be rolling down the hill"
Topham Mall April 2011 Fourteen artists including James Cochran, Kate Gagliardi, Jason Koen, Sam Evans, and Josh Smith Coordinated by Peter Drew Photo: Don Brice
York Street Mural April 2011 Artists: Frey Mickelthwait and Doris Unger Photo: Don Brice Originally planned as a Street Art Gallery, this option was closed down in May 2011