A group of urban artists gathered in Barcelona’s Poble-sec neighbourhood on Saturday morning, calling on Mayor Jaume Collboni’s government to restore legal painting spaces in the iconic Jardins de les Tres Xemeneies. The protest highlights growing tensions between the city’s vibrant street art culture and a new municipal push for public order.
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Around two dozen artists and their supporters congregated at the plaza, a long-established mecca for the city’s graffiti scene. On the single remaining wall where painting is still permitted, they sprayed a simple but powerful message: “Paredes grises ciutat morta” – Grey walls, a dead city.
The demonstration comes in response to what artists see as the steady erosion of sanctioned spaces for their work. For years, this plaza, named for the three towering brick chimneys of a former power station, served as a celebrated canvas. Former mayor Xavier Trias’s administration designated numerous walls as legal spots where anyone could freely create art. However, as Barna.News previously reported, the City Council began dismantling this system a couple of years ago, demolishing most of the purpose-built walls.
The ‘Pla Endreça’ Cleanup
The situation has intensified in recent weeks. According to a report by La Vanguardia, municipal cleaning services have begun erasing graffiti from the plaza and its surroundings on an almost daily basis. This crackdown is a central part of Mayor Jaume Collboni’s flagship ‘Pla Endreça’ (Tidying Up Plan).
Launched in mid-2023, the plan aims to improve the maintenance and cleanliness of public spaces while targeting what the administration terms ‘uncivic’ behaviour. Under current city ordinances, painting graffiti without official permission is illegal and can result in fines ranging from €120 to over €750, potentially reaching €3,000 for significant works.
This strict approach pushes many artists into unauthorised and often dangerous locations. A recent incident tragically highlighted the inherent risks when a graffiti artist was seriously injured by a driverless metro train while painting in a tunnel. Proponents of legal walls argue that they provide a safe, controlled environment that fosters creativity without damaging public or private property.
A Divided Community
Despite Saturday’s protest, not all within the graffiti community universally support the call for designated legal walls. The source material notes that many artists chose not to participate, viewing such sanctioned spaces as an attempt by institutions to control and “domesticate” what they believe should be a raw and spontaneous art form.
This ideological split reflects a long-standing debate in the world of urban art: the line between authentic street expression and co-opted public art. For some, the thrill and message of graffiti are intrinsically linked to its illicit nature. For others, a legal wall is a practical necessity, allowing them to hone their craft without fear of prosecution.
The debate over the walls at Les Tres Xemeneies is unfolding as the entire area faces significant redevelopment. The wider industrial zone is the subject of a major urban renewal project, which includes urgent land decontamination studies to prepare the site for new uses. As the city plans the future of this historic space, the role of public art remains a key point of contention. The artists’ plea is clear: in the new Barcelona envisioned by the council, there must still be colour on the walls.
