SHAPING IMPRESSIONS OF THE SPACE: EFFECTS OF STREET ART/GRAFFITI IN DIFFERENT PUBLIC SPACE CONTEXTS

Abstract

Art plays a prominent role in shaping urban aesthetic value, image and identity of public spaces. This paper aimed to examine the role of street art and graffiti in shaping impressions of the space using a correlational and experimental design in an online study with 874 participants (69% female, aged 15 to 66 years). The participants rated their impression of the space on an 8-item scale for a series of photographs of street art/graffiti and public space combinations. The results showed that street art/graffiti changed the impression of the space from rather neutral to more comfortable, appealing, playful, interesting, and safe. While the tag mostly had no significant effects, style writing and the mural had strong and positive effects. Implications of the study's results provide input for the rehabilitation and design of public spaces.