Pispala residents and artists collaborate to curb graffiti with legal street art

Residents and artists in Tampere’s historic Pispala district are working together to reduce unauthorized graffiti by introducing legal street art, reports Yle.

The initiative includes several new murals and artworks across the area this summer. A long wooden fence along a busy road, frequently targeted by taggers, is being transformed into a landscape mural depicting Pispala’s ridges, including landmarks like the haul tower and Näsinneula. The project is led by art student Heidi Hallio, with support from the local housing cooperative.

Ville Erola, chair of the cooperative’s board, noted that the white fence had long attracted unwanted tags. The new mural, he hopes, will deter further vandalism.

Hallio, a fan of street art, emphasized the importance of context: “This is permitted, commissioned art. Graffiti and tags can be beautiful when done in the right place and time.” She aims for the work to uplift passersby and shift perceptions of street art.

Another key site is the Ahjola Settlement Association building, where invited artists will create rotating graffiti pieces, each displayed for a month. The wall, located near a railway, offers high visibility. Nearby, an underpass remains open for anyone to paint.

Piritta Suominen of Next Level Street Art, which organized 100 public artworks in Tampere last year, said most remained untouched. She advocates for guiding street art rather than fighting it: “Since graffiti won’t disappear, we might as well embrace it.”

Local frustration with graffiti has grown, affecting property values and even forcing the closure of a pedestrian bridge at night due to vandalism. The project seeks to reclaim public spaces with curated art.