Graffiti in Bremen: Where are the legal areas for artists?

Graffiti in Bremen: Where are the legal areas for artists?

in Bremen something is happening in the world of graffiti: While there is currently only a legal graffiti area at the BSAG depot in Gröpelingen, the pressure on the Senate is growing to create new freedom for artists: inside. The wall on the depot has been accessible to creative works since 2023, but it already causes symptoms due to its rough surface. The search for other areas is difficult, because security concerns are often in the way. An earlier legal area in Hemelingen was closed for similar reasons, such as Butunbinnen.de.

Despite these challenges, there are some private space provided by clubs, for example at the old sports office on the Peterswerder or at the BDP house on the Hulsberg and in various leisure facilities. Graffiti fans can also fall back on a large legal wall in the fishing port in Bremerhaven. As the Bremen politics states, however, there are no public areas in the Weserstadt that offer a permanent opportunity for graffiti.

The Urban Art on the pulse of the time

graffiti is not only art, but also part of the urban subculture that has shaped generations. It is often associated with hip -hop, skateboarding and the entire scene of the urban youth culture. There are numerous arguments that speak for the provision of more public areas: they contribute to the revival of districts and offer young people a creative freedom. Initiatives, in particular the parliamentary groups of the Left and SPD, are currently calling for public areas to be provided as Halls of Fame in order to increase the visibility of urban art. In addition, an online card-a Map of Fame-is stimulated to ensure an overview of all legal graffiti areas in Bremen, such as dielinke-bremen.de emphasized

The search for new graffiti areas remains a hotly discussed topic in the city. The Senate has already received suggestions, such as the concrete bank walls on the battle and to use graffiti in the Überseestadt. There are also considerations to develop a funding program for graffiti in the field of youth welfare. That all sounds promising, but the path is still long, and there are currently no new areas in sight.

A look outside the box

The international graffiti festival "Summa Madnezz" has been taking place in Bremerhaven for over a decade, an event that repeatedly causes a stir in the Bremen scene. In Bremen, on the other hand, the “Hidden Treasure” festival had to pause this year. In addition, the “Dosenpäti”, a business for spray accessories, is popular and offers workshops to introduce newcomers to graffiti into the fascinating world of spray art.

whether unauthorized graffiti or legal art - the documentation of spray actions is important, because the police should be contacted with unauthorized graffiti. However, the clarification rate is only 10-11%, which underlines the problem of personal responsibility. Shrinking measures against unwanted graffiti such as rough facades or video surveillance are also up for discussion, but it is clear that many building insurance cover graffiti stores, depending on the respective conditions.

The future of graffiti culture in Bremen looks exciting, but the city urgently has to act to offer artists: inside more legal freedom and visibility. The voices of the community will be louder - and it remains to be hoped that the city citizenship will soon take the desired steps.