Graffiti artists in Melksham are now able to express themselves on a new ‘legal wall’ that has been opened on the town’s A350 underpass.

The Bath Road underpass has long been used by the town’s young people to paint tag images, slogans, and sometimes obscenities, on its walls.

Now Wiltshire Council has given the go-ahead for a new pilot scheme to make it a new legal art wall in Melksham enabling artists to showcase their talent without vandalising property.

While the wall will continue to be managed and monitored by Wiltshire Council, a local community arts group will take on the day-to-day running of the wall, including the maintenance and cleaning of the artwork.

The council said: “It will be the responsibility of all the users to ensure they keep to the specified area and adhere to the code of conduct, which includes no offensive tags and respecting all users of the underpass.

“All materials, such as paint and other art supplies, will be provided by the wall users, and the council will step in to remove any inappropriate artwork if required.”

Read more: Vandals deface newly-painted underpass by spraying graffiti

Melksham town and Wiltshire councillor Jon Hubbard, who has spent years working with the town’s youngsters through the Canberra Centre on Spa Road, said: “I am delighted to see the introduction of a Legal Wall in Melksham, located on the underpass beneath the A350.

“This project represents a significant step forward in fostering community pride, encouraging creativity, and providing a positive outlet for local artists.

“Our hope is that this space will become a vibrant and respected part of Melksham, helping to deter illegal graffiti in our area.

“The Legal Wall offers artists of all ages and backgrounds the freedom to express themselves in a reasonable and lawful way, transforming an area that has, unfortunately, been prone to unwanted and often unsightly tagging.

“We believe that by giving people a sanctioned space to showcase their talents, we can reduce incidents of graffiti elsewhere in the community while enhancing the local landscape with creative, meaningful artwork.”

Cllr Hubbard says the council was encouraged to make the wall ‘legal’ after seeing the success of similar projects in urban environments across the UK.

He added: “By embracing the power of art, we can address issues such as vandalism in a constructive way that contributes to our town’s sense of identity and pride.

“I encourage our community to support and respect this new initiative, and I look forward to seeing the creativity it inspires in Melksham.

“Let’s celebrate our local artists and give them the space they deserve to create, inspire, and beautify our town.”

Read more: Graffiti artists urged to take part in new 'legal art wall' trial

Cllr Nick Holder, Wiltshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways and Street Scene, said: “Graffiti is a longstanding antisocial issue across the country, and so we're pleased to be able to trial this legal art wall in Melksham, with the hope it can be a success to roll out into other areas of the county.

“The aim is to both reduce illegal and unsightly graffiti, and to give local artists a legal outlet to share their talents.

“We've spoken to other authorities, mostly in urban areas, that have trialled similar projects, and they have seen a fall in illegal graffiti, along with increased engagement with the community, and we hope we can do the same here in Wiltshire.

“We hope to see some fantastic artwork showcased on the wall once it launches later this year - along with a decrease in illegal graffiti in Melksham during the coming months.”

To get involved in the project, people should contact Richard Rogers, Strategic Engagement and Partnerships Manager, on richard.rogers@wiltshire.gov.uk