The history of street art is long, and street art activists are some of the original offenders. Even though there are still complaints about some street art, in many places murals and public paintings have become welcome parts of the community.
However, the origins of street art are quite unaccepted. The public display was used by street art activists to get a message across to the public, and usually the message was something very controversial. Check out the slideshow for more.
66 Street Art Activists
Graffiti May Have Gone Mainstream, but These Artists Did It First:
Jessica Marcel — Jan 31, 2010 — Art & Design
66
Monopoly Graffiti
Classic Game-Inspired Street Art
65
Graffiti Police
Banksy Coke Cop Is An Arresting Example Of Street Art
64
Super-Sized Street Art
Alexandros Vasmulakis' Grandiose Graffiti
63
Japanese Street Art
Remo Camerota Releases Expansive ‘Graffiti Japan' Book
62
Mona Lisa Graffiti
The Classic Painting With a Street Art Spin
61
Preteen Street Artists
10-Year-Old Solveig is Hailed as the “Female Banksy”
60
Highlighter Street Art
Judith Supine's Colortastic Creations Light Up NYC Walls
59
Graffiti Warfare
Weapon-Inspired Street Art
58
Chalked Shadow Street Art
Ellis Gallagher Brings the Streets of New York to Life
57
Dr. Seuss-Inspired Street Art
Quirky Cartooning Channels Childhood Icon
56
Corporate Lowbrow Support
Nike Brings Street Art to Their TPE 6453 Creative Space
55
Guerrilla Street Shadows
Katie Sokoler's Playful Street Art Project
54
Skeletal Street Art
Anatomically Correct Graffiti
53
Expressive Street Art
Interactive Vandalism by Mentalgassi Features Funny Faces
52
Fine Art Graffiti Artists
Charming Baker's Paradoxical Street Art in London
51
Secret Street Art Shows
Banksy Exhibition in Bristol Brings it Back Home
50
Love Sharing Street Art
French Artist Remed Uses Walls to Celebrate Life
49
Dark Shadow Street Art
Sam3 Brushes The Streets of Spain With His Counter-Culture Touch
48
Triumphant Street Art Sites
Nysat Website Launches After Group Overcomes Lawsuits
47
Geotagged Graffiti
Street Art Fans Use Google Maps Street View to Locate Best Pieces in UK
46
Sweet Street Art
Maria Imaginario's Gooey Lisbon Graffiti
45
Quirky Doodled Street Art
20-Year-Old Graffiti Artist Takes His Talent Outdoors
44
Disfigured Street Art
Morbid Portraits of Pop Icons
43
Iconic Street Artist Arrests
Despite Fame, Shepard Fairey Busted for the 15th Time
42
Mean Street Art
Little Girl Trapped Behind A Grate By Dan Witz
41
Activist Street Art
Fauxreel's 'The Unaddressed' Addresses Homelessness in Toronto
40
Naughty Disney Subversion
Street Artist Creates Mickey Mouse as You've Never Seen Him Before
39
Street Art of Kids Classics
"Where the Wild Things Are" Gets a Pure Evil Graffiti Touch
38
Politically Powerful Street Art
Cash4 Uses Words, Simple Images in Political Graffiti
37
Street Art Porcelain
All City Graffiti Dishes Let You Add Sass and Class to Your Hip Loft
36
Girly Street Art Sneakers
Fafi by Adidas Collection Highlights Female Graffiti Artists
35
Calligraffiti
Calligraphy Meets Street Art in These Beautiful Works by Shoe
34
Street Artist Disguises
D*Face As A Council Worker
33
Gritty Graffiti Gear
Jon Naar & Stussy Make Street Art-Approved Shirts
32
Street Art Showcases
‘Whole in the Wall' Exhibition in New York Features Great Graffit
31
Flaming Graffiti
Fire Tagging NYC Street Artists Set Their Graffiti Ablaze
30
Falling Foxes
Street Artist Bonom Makes Building Length Graffiti
29
Street Art Collectives
Burning Candy
28
Street Art Museums
The Ephemeral Museum in Lisbon
27
Street Art Cartoon Makeovers
BLOC28 by Disney
26
Digital Requests for Graffiti
SMS Your Message to Palestinian Street Artists for the West Wall
25
Paint-Dripping Cars
BMW Krink Mini Gets Street Wise With Street Art
24
Norwegian Street Art
Government-Funded Graffiti
23
Urban Protest Art
The Anti-Gentrification Street Art in Alabama is Something Worth Fighting For
22
Street Artist Appreciation
Shepard Fairey's Print Retrospective at Merry Karnowsky Gallery
21
Subversive Street Art
Sir X Blends Whimsy & Scathing Social Commentary
20
Street Art Interventions
D.Billy Uses Art to Humorously Interact With the Streets
19
Street Art Spray Can Invasions
Subversive Urban Art by DFace
18
Conversational Street Art
Dave the Chimp's Unusually Sociable Graffiti Ethos
17
Stunned Street Art
Alsacherie's Unusual Poster Children at the KKO Festival
16
Dummiefied Installation Art
Mark Jenkins Street Art Provokes Thought
15
Illuminated Graffiti
New Guerrilla Street Art From Posterchild Fights City Debate
14
Self-Evaluation Street Art
The Sidewalk Psychiatry Project
13
Graffiti Notebooks
Scratchpad Features Blank NYC Walls for Your Street Art Homework
12
Mixed-Media Street Art
Zach Johnsen's 'The Wanderers' Blends Psychedelic Cartooning and Graffiti
11
Crowd-Sourced Graffiti
Cape Town Election Street Art Spurs Activism Through Stencils
10
Skeleton Street Art
Macabre Outdoor Creative Inspiration
9
Graffitied Offices
D*Face Gives Magazine HQ A Cloudy Street Art Makeover
8
'Guess Who?' Graffiti
Kids' Board Game Gets a Street Art Touch From Surplus Bargains
7
Giant Mouth Street Art
The ‘Big Mouth Project' by D*Face
6
South American Street Art
Gualicho's Graffiti is Colorful and Imaginative
5
Edgy Easter Street Art
Above's ‘AIG Easter Egg Hunt' Parodies Financial Bailouts
4
Repetitive Skywriting
'Cloud' by Ron English Takes Street Art Skyward
3
Pixacao Protests
Graffiti Artists Deface Street Art Exhibit
2
Social Commentary Graffiti
Street Art Comments On Bristol's Drinking Laws
1
Lyrical Graffiti
'Bittersweet Symphony' as Told Through Street Art
Related Ideas
Graffiti-Inspired Branding Campaigns
Mosaic North America Partners with Buffalo Bills
Celebrative Icon-Inspired Campaigns
adidas Originals Honors 55 Years with Superstar: The Original
In-Person Gallery Experiences
Whataburger Museum of Art Brings Fan Creativity to Life at SXSW 2025
Distorted Furniture Street Art
Alex Chinneck Designs the Surrealism First Kiss at Last Light
NYC Culture-Inspired Streetwear
Public Assembly Debuts with Bold Street Staples
Global Pixel Canvas
The Wplace website Brings Collective Pixel Art to the World Map in Real Time
Artist-Centric Networking Events
Adidas x SNIPES Unveil The NYC Superstar & Empower Artists
Villain-Inspired Graphic Streetwear
©SAINT Mxxxxxx Celebrates Heath Ledger's Joker in New Capsule
Collectible Character Sets
The ARR x KAWS Sesame Street Figure Collection Boasts Pop Art
New Yorker-Approved Campaigns
New York’s StreetEasy Urges You to Never Become a Former New Yorker
Temporary Public Art Installations
Cj Hendry Held Flower Market 2.0 at the Rockefeller Center
Statement Street Art
Alex Chinneck’s Surreal Street Art Transforms Bristol's Urban Landscape
Playful Creative Design Billboards
Canva Unveils 3D Billboards to Spotlight its Capabilities
Reimagined Artwork-Based Travel Campaigns
Plaza Premium Group Debuts 'The Art of Travel'
Bold Graffiti Printed Totes
Marc Jacobs Reprises the Stephen Sprouse x Marc Jacobs Tote Bag
Universal Icon Exhibitions
The Pictograms: Iconic Japanese Designs Explores Language Without Words
Individuality-Focused Brand Campaigns
Adidas Originals' New Campaign Champions Timeless Classics
Artistic Spray Paint Events
Rust-Oleum Will Debut Artist-Friendly Rust-O with an Exciting Event
Panda-Inspired Sport Campaigns
Panda Station Dresses Panda Statues in Tracksuits for an Activation
Legacy Artist-Themed T-Shirts
Gap Partners with Legendary Artists on its New Shirt Capsule
Artful Updated 70s Apartment
Oikonomakis Siampakoulis architects Forms the Art Curator's Apartment
Museum-Collaborative Streetwear Series
BAPE Joins the Van Gogh Museum on a Joint Capsule
Night QSR Campaigns
The Mcdonald’s Night Posters Turn Post-Party Cravings into Glowing Urban Art
Bold Skate Shoe Campaigns
The New Vans Off the Wall Campaign Celebrates the Authentic Sneaker
Sneaker Fused Ceramic Exhibitions
Roberto Lugo Presents the Drip Exhibition in New York
Art-Promoting Campaigns
Beige Billboards Spark a Bold Call to Save Charlotte’s Art Scene
Boundary-Pushing AR Outdoor Exhibitions
Coventry Debuts the 'This is Me, This is Us' Exhibition
Typographic Play Structures
Icon Climbers Create Playgrounds Where Alphabet Meets Jungle Gym
Functional Streamlined Ceramic Tiles
Unknown, Untitled Introduced the UU Tiles Collection
Free Outdoor AR Exhibitions
Window Wonderland is Running Until January 31st in the Junction
Graffiti Clog Collaboration
The Slawn Crocs Classic Clog Injects Urban Art onto Crocs’ Model
Fine Art-Inspired Sneaker Designs
Vans and Gallery Dept. Partner Through the OTW by Vans Line
Innovative Outdoor Advertising Campaigns
Unilever's Dirt is Good Turns Billboards into Playgrounds
Color-In Commuter Tunnels
MasterPeace Pain-ting Creates Space for Community Art in Bangkok
Architectural Community Spaces
The Street Clubhouse Forms Social Connection Through Open Design
Graffiti Artist-Made Rare Sneakers
Nike and Stash Breathe Life Back to Retro Sneaker Models
Elevated Urban Skate Venues
AAN Architects Designs Suspended Skatepark Overlooking Shanghai
Provocative Guerrilla Campaigns
Jewelry Brand MWCurated Uses Fake Infidelity Flyers for Marketing
Artful Bandage Collections
The Met x BAND-AID Collaboration Shares Exclusive First-Aid Products
Visual Museum Campaigns
MoMA’s New Museum Campaign Transforms NYC into an Art Lover’s Paradise
Collaborative Campus Beautification Programs
Secret Walls and POSCA® Emphasize Creativity
Graffiti Racer Models
Hot Wheels x Futura Mitsubishi 3000gt Vr-4 Pairs Car Culture with Street Art
Quirky Santa Murals
Cushelle Brings Holiday Cheer with Self-Care Encouraging Artwork
Neon Illuminated Art Installations
Morag Myerscough Creates the Love and Unity Sculpture
Baseball-Inspired Manhole Covers
MLB Honors Japanese Stars with Custom-Designed Manhole Covers
Graphic Fashion Animation Campaigns
Louis Vuitton Remasters Takashi Murakami's Superflat Animation
Mayo-Inspired Art Gallery Pop-Ups
Hellmann's Mayonnaise Collaborates with Kareem Rahma
Dynamic Art Exhibitions
The 'Art in Motion' Exhibition Features Moving Artworks
Artist Apartment Conversions
Alan Prekop Studio Alters a Disused Office into a Space for Artists
Graffiti Ski Streetwear
ELHO x André Saraiva Brings Bold Street Art to Winter Outerwear
90s Graffiti Culture-Inspired Streetwear
NEIGHBORHOOD and Subware Join Forces on a Capsule
Auto-Branded Multimedia Experiences
Audi Haus Performance Art is Free, Forward-Thinking & Exciting
Reimagined Artwork Puzzle Sets
LEGO Unveils the Keith Haring Dancing Figures Mural Art Set
Painting-Inspired Auto-Promoting Initiatives
XPENG UK Hosted the Visionary Art Challenge
Edgy Backpack-Centric Fashion Shows
Sprayground Debuts Its New Capsule — At The Edge of Time
Wearable Art Streetwear
A Day’s March Transforms Jan Håfström’s Artwork into Wearable Streetwear
AI-Assisted History Series
The Streets of the Past Series Uses AI to Revisit Dutch Sites
Art-Inspired Hair Salon Concepts
NOVA ARTS SALON is a Progressive Evolution in Salon Experience
Mexican Heritage-Honoring Art Exhibits
Raul De Lara Designs the Raíces/Roots Exhibition
Art-Inspired Streetwear Exhibits
Silent Echoes Show Sees Leyla Fischer’s Exploration of Emotion
Artistic Auto Brand Activations
XPENG Highlights Its G6 SUV Model at London Art Fair
Literary Tourism Innovations
Jane Austen Festival Launches Character Trail Through Bath Streets
Sneaker-Inspired Art Exhibitions
Roberto Lugo's 'Drip' Explores the Impact of the AF1 on Culture
Mask-Made Art Installations
Tidal Stories by Design PY Turns Medical Waste Into Public Seating
Live Art Creation Events
Secret Walls Has Significantly Expanded Since Its Founding
Photo Animation Tools
a1.art Animates Photos and Transforms Them Into Story-Like Visuals
Food-Inspired Street Art
Knorr's Dish Pics Campaign Replaces Unwanted, Unsavory Images
Museum-Inspired Art Toys
Met x Kidrobot Dunny Alters Monet’s Bouquet of Sunflowers into a Figure
Illuminated Curtained Light Installations
Lachlan Turczan Adds to Making the Invisible Visible
Disruptive Fashion Art Galleries
Dirty Looks Examines Clothing as a Tool for Cultural Resistance
Punk History Apparel
The War of the Three Kingdoms Fuses 17th-Century Rebellion with Punk Design
Customizable Kids Wall Art
DoodleFace Reinvents Wall Art with Developmentally-Friendly Designs
Italian Heritage Brand Identities
Sergio Soldano Launches Tableau D’Art in Cannes and Genoa
Limited-Edition Art T-Shirts
Stone Island x Jamal Cyrus Frieze LA T-Shirt Drops for the Art Fair
Exploratory Art Exhibits
The Saga of the Department Stores Exhibit Explores Shopping’s Evolution
Creativity-Focused One-Day Activations
Crayola Canada Celebrates National Crayon Day in Toronto
Archive Graphic Tees
Dover Street Market x Nike Launch Vintage Graphic Tees Collection
Statement Wall Covering Collections
Wolf-Gordon Presents a Capsule of El Muro Wall Coverings
Structured Art Shows
Analia Saban's Flowchart Exhibition Highlights Woven Paint and Carved Pieces
Cultural Exhibition Updates
Exhibit Columbus Removes Installation of Semi‑nude Architect Statues
Artful Meditative Sculptural Caves
Antony Gormley Presents the Drawing on Space Exhibition
Community-Centered Rooftop Events
Heineken's Rooftop Revival Turned Building Tops into Social Hubs
Vibrant Artistic Exhibitions
Takashi Murakami Japonisme Show Opens at Kaikai Kiki Gallery Tokyo
New York Design Galleries
ATRA New York Gallery Presents a Multisensorial Design Space
Enigmatic Graffiti Incidents
Toronto's Museum of New Calls Attention to Mystery Graffiti
Accessible Limited-Edition Print Series
Claire Oliver Gallery Debuts the Art for Everybody Series
Art-Focused Hair Salons
John Steinberg and Associates Recently Launched a New Gallery Space
Futuristic Cultural Spaces
The Lucas Museum of Narrative Arts Blends Form with Civic Imagination
Local Food Discoveries
Streeats Helps You Find Hidden Street Food Gems Recommended By Locals
Bubblegum Street Art Buildings
Frankey Designs the Playful Hubbabubbabuilding
Girded Billboard Posters
Irn-Bru And Lucky Generals Introduced Girders Posters
Public Bench Interpretation Exhibitions
Eight Designers Form the Works in Progress III Show
Architectural Wall Designs
Heatherwick Presents Humanise Wall at the Seoul Architecture Biennale
Adaptive Reuse Gallery Projects
Atelier L'abri Design the FOIL Gallery in Montreal
Art Identity Platforms
ID.ART Empowers Creatives To Digitize, Promote, and Monetize Artworks
Artist Hometown-Inspired Sneakers
adidas Originals and Bad Bunny Launch the Gazelle City Series
Skateboarding Heritage Collection
United Through Skateboarding Honors Atiba Jefferson’s Creativity
Community Voices Installation
Unheard Voices Pavilion Spotlights Labor of London’s Night Workers
Sculptural Gallery Art Exhibitions
Kennedy Yanko Presents Two New Galleries in NYC
Graffiti Collective-Informed Cannabis Packaging
Timeless Taps Graffiti Collective WET PAINT
Bespoke Car Art
Heritage Customs X Henk Schiffmacher Create a Tattoo-Inspired Land Rover Defender
Indigenous Form Exhibitions
Gabriel Chaile's Exhibition Blends Indigenous Form Protest & Narrative
Provocative Banned Books Installations
The American Bookbinders Museum Debuts 'Banned Books Jail'
Brutalism Pop Art Residences
02A Studio Presents the Casa Polly in Historic Rome Quarters
Collaborative Art Platforms
Everyone Draw Invites Artists to Create with Others on Infinite Canvas
Ball Game-Promoting Urban Initiatives
London Sport and Saatchi & Saatchi Run 'More Ball Games'
Mexican Heritage Art Installations
Raul De Lara Designs the Raíces/Roots Exhibition
Creative Sun Safety Installations
Giant Beach Installation is a Reminder to Practice Sun Safety
Photo Art Tools
Image Painter Transforms Photos Into Creative Digital Artworks
African Identity-Inspired Exhibitions
Gagosian Hosts the Awulai Ashia & Nkyinkyim Exhibition
Artist Protection Tools
Glaze Protects Artists by Preventing AI from Mimicking Their Unique Styles
Identity-Exploring Artful Designs
MAIII Collective Presents Fragments in Stockholm
Electric Heritage-Based Apartments
Yana Molodykh Renovates the Landscape Alley Apartment
Spring-Welcoming Art Installations
DRIFT's Latest Presentation is the Meadow Exhibition
Art Exploration Platforms
Arts – Every Time Art Lets You Explore Unique Artworks and Artifacts
Whimsical Soccer-Themed Illustrations
Visa Commissions Art in Connection to FIFA World Cup
Expansive Month-Long Fashion Celebrations
Fashion Art Toronto Marks Its 20th Anniversary
Graffiti-Driven Franchise Interiors
Pablito’s Tacos Unveiled a New Mindful Design Concept
Community-Centric Sculptural Installations
Naoto Fukasawa & Jakuets Design the Playful Sculptures
Public Art Displays
Paul Anthony Smith’s Photographs Appear at 300 City Bus Stops This Summer
Nature-Inspired Urban Art Installations
Kriskadecor Adds New Artful Installations to its Offices
Artful Activism Shows
The Snowflake Exhibition by Donald Moffett Explores Abstraction & Activism
Museum Street Art Exhibits
London Museum Preserves Banksy’s Piranha Tank as Permanent Display
Textile Art Installations
The Olga De Amaral Retrospective Blends Fiber Art, Identity, and Scale
Cannabis Art Ventures
Snoop Dogg Presented the 'Rich N Infamous: the Joint Venture' Art Launch
Inaugural Design Exhibitions
Francesco Balzano's Inizio Show is Presented by STUDIOTWENTYSEVEN
Transformative Survivor Tattoos
Mark of Life Incorporates Radiation Marks into Custom Body Art
Performance-Driven Public Installations
NÓS Architects Develop the Fourth Wall Installation
Vibrant City Installations
Craig & Karl Take Over Brisbane Festival with City Pop Art Spectacles
Immersive Light Exhibits
Spencer Finch Exhibition Maps Time and Place Through Color and Light
Mural Design Assistants
Art By Squares Simplifies Mural Painting With Grids And Camera Overlay
Urban Text Installations
SPREAD installs Peace Love Joy Letterforms Across Central Beirut Streets
Popular Art Fairs
the OFFSCREEN Art Fair Saw Record Attendance This Year
Creative Protest Archives
Pocket Protests Showcases Global Creative Resistance Against Fascism
Creative Community-Celebrating Events
Frederick Arts Council Marks 50 Years of Creative Community
Concrete Arts School Buildings
Visual Arts Building by Studio BLUR Forms Sculptural Volumes
Archaeological Protection Initiatives
The Remains of the Curtain Playhouse are Uncovered in London
Student Art Exhibitions
Lebanese Students Design in Conflict Shows Student Work Shaped by Crisis
Career Retrospective Exhibitions
Tracey Emin: a Second Life at Tate Modern Shows 40 Years of Work
Commercial-Transformed Artful Galleries
New Affiliates Designs the Canyon Museum Space