30 June 2025
Belfast’s first ‘legal graffiti wall’ has been launched as part of a new initiative proposed by SDLP Councillor Gary McKeown which will see a number of them being rolled out across Belfast, along with the creation of a mentorship programme for up-and-coming street artists. The first wall to go live is on Little Patrick Street in the city centre.
Councillor McKeown said: "It's really exciting that this has gone from an idea about establishing legal street art walls across the city to it now becoming a reality, and I hope this sparks a wave of creativity.
"I'm a big fan of Belfast's street art scene. We've so much talent in the city, and I'm really keen that we build on this and encourage a new generation to come through, so I brought forward the proposal to create legal street art walls where people can have a go and develop their skills without fear of getting into trouble or having to hide their activity.
"Belfast has earned an international reputation for its street art. Right across the city, areas have been transformed through the creation of beautiful and awe-inspiring pieces, often turning neglected spaces into vibrant attractions that make communities very proud.
“The proposal I brought through the council will also see a new mentorship programme being created to connect established street artists with emerging talent so they can learn new skills and techniques on a one-to-one basis, and also benefit from networking opportunities which will help the street art scene to grow.
“Belfast City Council’s partnership on this programme with Seedhead Arts, which has had such an instrumental role in the emergence of the street art scene in Belfast, is very welcome, and I want to thank the collaborative effort that has made this a reality.
“Street art across the city has had a really positive impact and is also a tourist draw, but we can’t take it for granted that new artists will continue to come through. For talent to emerge, we need to create the environment where this can happen. By setting up legal walls and supporting emerging artists, I hope we can give something back and help encourage phenomenal new talent to flourish.”
The first wall is located on Little Patrick Street and owned by NIE, and anyone can use it to have a go at creating something. This will be an inclusive space where professional and emerging artists, or anyone with an interest in street art, can freely and legally develop their street art skills and in turn continue to add to the cultural animation within the city. The wall can be used 24/7 but will be regularly monitored.
The programme is being delivered in partnership with Seedhead Arts, with three legal walls due to be up and running by March 2026.
There are arrangements in place to manage the walls, including developing guidelines for maintenance and the removal of unacceptable content in a timely manner, and monitoring/ reporting of any antisocial behaviour.
The mentorship programme will provide funding for six awards to selected established street artists working in Belfast to mentor emerging street artists.
The motion to create the legal walls and the mentorship programme was brought by Councillor McKeown in late 2023 and work to develop and deliver this has been ongoing since then.