About the Legal Art Programme

• Why is there a Legal Art Programme?
• The aims
• The advantages
• How does the programme work?
• Sponsorship Opportunities

Why is there a Legal Art Programme?

Graffiti vandalism clean up costs in Christchurch we estimate are around $300,000 a year. The uncounted cost is an increase in the fear of crime, the breaking of community spirit and the loss of civic pride.

The Legal Arts Programme is part of the Graffiti Reduction Strategy, a programme overviewed by an Inter Agency Graffiti Steering Committee and coordinated through the Christchurch City Council. The Graffiti Reduction Strategy creates a comprehensive approach to reducing graffiti vandalism through the following:

• a legal arts programme
• the Graffiti Hotline
• professional graffiti removal

The aims

The Legal Arts Programme aims to encourage graffitists to lift their artistic standards to a higher level and undertake legal art activities, and also to increase community respect for legal graffiti arts.

The advantages

The advantages of the Legal Arts Programme include:

• providing a positive environment in which graffitists can redirect their energies and express their art form legally
• promoting community safety by providing a well run programme
• reducing the incidence of graffiti vandalism
• developing strategies to divert young people away from graffiti vandalism and towards positive, creative and productive pursuits
• promoting community awareness regarding the reporting of graffiti and the ways of dealing with graffiti
• promoting civic pride

How does the programme work?

The Legal Arts Programme provides young people with mentors who are competent artists and appropriate role models. The programme also acts as an avenue for graffitists to utilise their artistic talent to gain recognition in an acceptable and legal way. It is hoped that some will eventually graduate to paid work, which involves utilising their artistic ability.

Sponsorship Opportunities

Your business is presented with a chance to partner both the Christchurch City Council and a wide range of community representatives in a proactive strategy, which aims to fight this crime. Sponsorship of this plan will provide an excellent opportunity for your business / organisation to gain exposure throughout the area and to promote your public profile in the community.

As a sponsor, your organisation will have naming rights and will be featured in all aspects of the Legal Arts Program, including:

• Official launch of the Legal Arts Program in the local community
• Media release for the launch to be distributed to all local print, television and radio media.
• Brochure publicising the program to be distributed within the local community, local schools and youth groups

Sponsorship investments will provide the Legal Arts Program with the following:

• Paint
• Health and safety equipment (masks, gloves)
• Drop sheets
• Rollers and trays
• Undercoat
• Paint brushes
• Cleaners
• Refreshments