The City of Greater Bendigo has made the vertical spaces on the sides of ramps available to artists as part of a 12 month trial.

Council’s arts and culture coordinator Maree Tonkin said the decision to provide the vertical sections of the skate park infrastructure for art came from recent calls by local artists for additional legal, public wall space to display their creativity.

“The city already has two legal art spaces (in Chancery Lane and Pennyweight Place), so it is not a new concept,” Ms Tonkin said.

“We are trusting that artists will make the most of the opportunity and they have 12 months to see what they can come up with.”

Graffiti artist Reece Hendy spent a short amount of time at the skate park on Monday afternoon to begin part of a work.

It was clear that the potential of a legal art space was exciting for skaters.

Ms Tonkin said artists would be trusted not to paint and of the ramp sections of the skate park.

“While the space offers a great new opportunity for artists there will be conditions regarding what part of the skate park they can actually paint on,” said Ms Tonkin.

“The artists will be trusted not to paint on any of the skating surfaces.

“This means that no paint can be applied to the concrete bowl or any of the horizontal surfaces including the curved quarter pipe surface or ramp sections. Only the vertical concrete surfaces can be painted.”

Ms Tonkin also said since the skate park is a family area any new artwork should avoid profanity and nudity.

“The skate park is visited by families and young children therefore lewd images or those depicting profanity or nudity will not be permitted,” she said.

“Most artists get that and are creative enough to know what they’re doing.

“Art is subjective and not everybody will view artworks in the same way. 

“We also request the artists be respectful of people using the park and not paint if the park is being used.”

Artists wishing to produce artworks in public spaces or who want more information about the City of Greater Bendigo’s legal street art sites can contact the City’s Arts and Cultural Development team on 5434 6478 or email arts.info@bendigobendigo.vic.gov.au