Graffiti is an art form (From Stroud News and Journal)

Graffiti is an art form

POLICE have paid for graffiti to be sprayed across the walls of a Stroud youth club.

Young graffiti artists were invited to show off their skill with a spray can at a special session at Roxborough House on Saturday in an effort to promote self expression.

But the graffiti event, backed by the Stroud Crime and disorder Partnership, also aimed to discourage vandalism by giving Stroud's young people a spot where they could spray to their hearts' content.

Stroud youth and community worker Michaela Pearce had spoken to young people in the town about their views on graffiti before approaching the partnership for funding.

"I talked to our youth club members about whether graffiti is an artform or a crime," she said.

"They said if they had walls which were safe and legal to use then that would be fine.

"We the artists loose in the youth club courtyard and what they have produced is pretty spectacular."

A team of nine young artists, calling themselves Real Street Art Productions, created the colourful graffiti murals at the Nelson Street youth club.

"When people come in and see art like this it inspires them and makes them want to do it in a proper environment," said Richard Brookes, 20, a spokesman for the group.

"This is the best way to stop illegal graffiti as opposed to just whitewashing over it, offering teenagers a constructive and legal way to express their art."

For full story see this week's News & Journal.