Urban Art between Community and Artwashing

In the past decade, urban or public art has changed dramatically in cities around the word. On the one hand, in many locations, there is evidence of a heightened acceptance toward, and use of such art to empower local communities. On the other hand, prompted by rising public interest, neoliberal urban actors (for instance, private developers and local governments who often act in unison), have deployed new strategies of “artwashing” cultural scenes and events in ways that undermine vulnerable urban communities and citizens. One example is the growing touristification of street art and graffiti festivals in many major cities of the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Oceania. This session seeks to foster critical reflection and debate on all forms of “artwashing” in which urban actors—including city governments, private interest groups, community members, and artists—are thrown into conflict or coalition with each other in new ways. We welcome empirically and theoretically grounded papers from all regions and disciplines that speak to the issue of "bohemian" urban growth machines.