More Towns in the Hudson Valley Should Have This Graffiti

Graffiti in public spaces can be a dividing issue, but the City of Beacon may have just taken a step towards a great solution.

While some residents view graffiti as art in public places, others condemn the act as vandalism. Recently, a compromise was made when Beacon asked for help from a very under-utilized resource.

New Graffiti in Beacon, NY Is All Part of the Plan

Recently, the City of Beacon took to Facebook to share photos of new graffiti that had popped up at the Memorial Park Skate Park. Instead of it being reported as a crime, however, the post was meant to show that a new initiative was all going according to plan.

The Art Wall at Memorial Park Skate Park in Beacon, NY

Called the "Art Wall", the creative space was recently made available to residents after students at Beacon High School were asked to help decide how part of the City's discretionary budget should be spent (below).

The Art Wall at Memorial Park Skate Park in Beacon, NY

As the City shared, the Art Wall, as well as skate ramps and other surfaces within the park, are now available for artists to use as their canvas. The initiative could serve as an example for other Hudson Valley towns as well.

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"Love This! Such a great idea. The kids have plenty of them - we just need to listen", said one local resident. "Wish this was around when I was in BHS. So cool", offered another.

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There's a big difference between cracking down on an illicit activity and creating a safe space for it to be done legally. While the project seems to be aimed more at encouraging artistic expression than cracking down on vandalism, the sentiment feels similar. The Hudson Valley would be lucky to have more graffiti like this.