Graffiti artists are invited to attend a free two-day workshop on 21 – 22 November where they will learn the intricacies of graffiti by ex-taggers turned professional.

The workshop, to be held at the learning centre on the corner of Hills Road and East Tamaki Road, is an initiative of the Keep Manukau Beautiful campaign and will be run by a local community group Hauhanga Rongo with support from Manukau City Council.

Hauhanga Rongo Director Sam Chapman says the workshop will give young people who are into graffiti the chance to work and learn together in a supportive, awhi environment. Mr Chapman says the workshop is a chance to obtain qualitative research on why young people are drawn to the sub-culture of graffiti and why they use their creative skills in a destructive way.

Mr Chapman, who also runs a home in Otara for people with ‘colourful’ backgrounds as well as an after school learning centre, says there’s a need to find out more about the hearts and minds of people who graffiti.

“ We want to allow these guys to hui together and teach them more constructive ways of using their time and less destructive ways of using their skills.”

Facilitating the workshop will be ex taggers like 21 year old Charles Williams who has begun to make a mark as a professional graffiti artist exhibiting and contracting his works.

Charles says he’ll be teaching kids techniques from holding a spray can to correct styles and colour. Included in the lessons will be fundamental advice on how to find appropriate places to develop graffiti art rather than illegally tagging property.

The Manukau Rangers Club is another Manukau City Council graffiti initiative that is currently educating primary and intermediate students about the importance of respect to property and the environment.

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