Books on street art and graffiti worth owning, and what each is for
Four books on street art and graffiti worth a place on the shelf, from Subway Art to a world atlas of walls, and what each one teaches you to see outside.
All notes
Notes from the street
Essays, walks and practical guides on art in public space, newest first. 19 notes so far.
Urban sketching supplies: a kit that fits in a coat pocket
A pocket kit for urban sketching: a hardback sketchbook, waterproof fineliners, a small watercolour box and a water brush, and why carrying less helps.
Shade, water and benches: public space for hotter summers
What European cities are trying as summers get hotter: trees, shade, drinking fountains, misting, cool streets and better benches, plus a street checklist.
Artistic activism and the city: when art takes a side in the street
Critical Mass rides, guerrilla gardens, occupied theatres and silent protests: how art takes a side in public space, the ethics involved and what lasts.
Commissioning Public Art in a Small Town, Step by Step
A practical step list for small towns commissioning public art: the brief, budget lines, open call or invitation, residents' input, upkeep and removal.
Stairs, bridges and shortcuts: small structures that change a walk
From Zagreb's tiny funicular to Lisbon's lifts and Plečnik's bridges in Ljubljana, why some stairs, bridges and shortcuts make a city walk so much better.
Listening to the city: soundwalks, radio art and field recording
From R. Murray Schafer and Hildegard Westerkamp to radio art and field recording, with a step by step method for leading a soundwalk in your own streets.
Art biennials in Southeast Europe, and how to visit one well
Istanbul, Athens, Belgrade and Manifesta's stops in the region: what the big art biennials of Southeast Europe offer, and a step by step way to visit one.
Bucharest beyond the boulevards: a walk through its cultural spaces
A walk through Bucharest's cultural spaces, from contemporary art in the Palace of the Parliament to Lipscani, Cișmigiu, the Athenaeum and interwar villas.
Visiting the Spomeniks: Yugoslav Memorials With Care and Context
A practical guide to Yugoslav memorial sculpture at Tjentište, Kozara, Petrova Gora, Kadinjača and Jasenovac: what each one marks and how to visit well.
Planning a festival in public space: permits, crowds and neighbours
A practical guide to planning a festival in a square, street or park: permits, crowd safety, noise and neighbours, toilets and water, access, and a timeline.
Leftover spaces and tactical urbanism: what small street fixes teach
Parklets, painted plazas and pop-up chairs: how tactical urbanism reclaims leftover street corners, what Barcelona scaled up, and the questions it raises.