A proposal to establish official graffiti areas in Hannover's Nordstadt district has received enthusiastic support from the local district council. Werner Köpge, a resident of the multicultural neighborhood, presented his innovative plan to transform illegal street art into supervised artistic training opportunities.
Köpge, who appreciates his district's multicultural atmosphere and diverse dining scene as well as its campus-like feel due to its proximity to the university, expressed frustration with the current state of unauthorized graffiti. "What bothers me are the numerous graffiti tags on buildings and facades," he told the North District Council when presenting his proposal. He believes that creating structured programs could redirect spray paint artists toward more constructive artistic expression.
"I would like to see an institution create an offering that provides training and education for spray painters," Köpge explained. His vision includes providing free spray cans to participants and establishing proper mentorship programs. He justified his initiative by pointing out that beautiful, historic buildings are currently being damaged by unauthorized graffiti, while authorities seem to show little response to these acts of property damage.
Köpge argued that traditional punishment approaches have proven ineffective, necessitating a positive alternative approach. "Furthermore, the district would become more beautiful, and an object that has been beautified will no longer be vandalized," he stated. He cited successful examples of similar programs from cities like Sydney, demonstrating the global applicability of his concept.
For his proposed project location, Köpge suggested the old suitcase factory on the Sprengel site, which offers ample space and access to artists who could supervise and guide the program. The facility would allow both established and emerging street artists to create legitimate artworks while using their signature tags and styles, effectively transforming what is currently considered vandalism into recognized street art.
The political response to Köpge's proposal has been overwhelmingly positive. District Mayor Florian Beyer of the Green Party acknowledged the existence of many commissioned artworks throughout the city and referenced successful legal graffiti spaces at Glocksee in the Calenberger Neustadt district. "This could be beneficial for everyone," Beyer noted, suggesting the concept has proven merit in other parts of the city.
Köpge received additional support from an unexpected source - his wife Kirsten Köpge, who serves on the district council representing the Free Democratic Party (FDP). "This helps people come out of anonymity," she observed, announcing her intention to formally inquire with the city administration about the feasibility of implementing such a program.
Other council members also expressed enthusiasm for the initiative. Sven Abend from the Social Democratic Party (SPD) suggested utilizing commercial and railway properties, provided property owners give their consent. Fares Rahabi from the Left Party described Köpge's idea as "a beautiful initiative," showing cross-party political support for the concept.
The proposal envisions a structured program that would divide the street art community into two distinct categories: those who engage in random tagging versus quality artists committed to creating meaningful visual works. This differentiation could help establish standards and encourage artistic growth within the graffiti community.
Mayor Beyer concluded the discussion by suggesting that the political leadership could form a small working group to identify suitable partners for the project, while simultaneously having the city administration evaluate potential funding mechanisms. This systematic approach indicates serious consideration of transforming Köpge's grassroots proposal into official municipal policy, potentially serving as a model for other German cities facing similar challenges with unauthorized street art.
