November 17, 2021 4.29 pm This story is over 33 months old

Artists’ call for “legal street art wall” in Spalding

He already has popular graffiti at the train station
Karl Barfoot submitted a petition to South Holland District Council for a specific area for street art to create an attraction for the town. | Image: Supplied

Calls for a “Legal Street Art Wall” in Spalding are set to go before South Holland District Council next week.

Graffiti artists Karl Barfoot and Adam Sadd are set to hand a 1,300 signature petition calling for a designated area to become somewhere street artists can go, to the authority at its Full Council meeting next Wednesday.

They said a similar initiative in Peterborough has been a “huge attraction for the city”.

“Having something like this in Spalding will attract many big named street artists to come and paint here, and also be an attraction for the town, bringing more business/customers to the rest of the town whilst they visit,” said the petition.

It added that the wall could be used by schools and local community groups, to “teach the younger generation about the street art culture, to respect the artwork and to teach them how to do it”.

Karl’s tribute to Captain Sir Tom Moore following his death. | Image: supplied

Speaking to Local Democracy Reporter Daniel Jaines, Karl said he had a few locations in mind and also had ideas for how projects could use the wall to promote events and other attractions in the town.

“I know their biggest concern will be that it’s going to increase graffiti in Spalding, but it isn’t like that and we’re hoping to sway the more negative ones to the positive side,” he said, instead arguing it would focus it on one area.

“We’re just trying to get one acceptable area or wall we can use all the time, not the whole town — just one area we can use and on which the artwork can change as we get different artists involved,” he added.

Karl has become known in Spalding over recent years for some of his bigger pieces, including a tribute to Captain Sir Tom Moore near Spalding Rugby Club and the Hogwarts Express at Spalding Railway Station.

Karl has also painted the Hogwarts Express at Spalding Railway Station. | Image: supplied

And Batman’s Joker. | Image: supplied