The Online Street Art Walk: Using Digital Technology to Support Community Engagement with Young Street Artists: A Report on the Katoomba Street Art Walk

The Online Street Art Walk: Using Digital Technology to Support Community Engagement with Young Street Artists: A Report on the Katoomba Street Art Walk

In partnership with Street Art Murals Australia (SAMA), the Street Art Walk project saw the creation of an outdoor street art gallery in Beverly Place, Katoomba, in the upper Blue Mountains of New South Wales. Launched in June 2015, the Street Art Walk consists of 30 mural spaces, providing over 3,000 square metres of wall space for the creative work of 20 young street artists, with local and international artists invited to contribute. Since the launch of the Street Art Walk in June 2015 there has been continued access of the QR codes, as well as mainstream media coverage about the project. As a multi-partner project, the Street Art Walk has won the National Award for Local Government in the area of “excellence in building innovative and inspired communities”, and has been listed by the world’s largest travel site, TripAdvisor, as number 8 of 37 listed ‘things to do in Katoomba’, with over 50 reviews written by travellers to the area. The Street Art Walk successfully integrates an outdoor street art gallery with digital tools that offer the young street artist further means to connect with community. Whilst measuring the direct impact on the young street artists was not within the scope of this research project, it does provide evidence that integrating both online and offline spaces allows for improved understanding and appreciation of street art as a legitimate cultural activity by young people. End users positively received the opportunity for interaction with young street artists through digital spaces, and in this way, young street artists have increased opportunities to positively connect and engage with their broader community. Given that the social determinants of health include connection with community (Easthorpe & White 2006; Hall 2011; Macdonald 2006; Eckersley et al 2006), it is posited that the online and offline Street Art Walk can foster the positive mental health and wellbeing of young street artists.

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