Is graffiti art or vandalism? In many countries, it is a crime to paint on walls and street artists can have problems with the police. In other countries, street art is permitted in certain places. For example, in Taiwan, there are ‘graffiti zones’ where artists are free to paint and write on walls. In São Paulo in Brazil, the city council allows some graffiti artists to paint on the city’s subway trains.

Nowadays, street art is more popular with the public. In some cities, there are street art festivals. In Bristol in the UK, there is a street art festival in August every year. Artists paint all the buildings in a street. Lots of people come to watch the artists and take photos. Street art can be seen in galleries too. There have been exhibitions of street art in galleries in Paris, London and Los Angeles.

Write three hundred words about the origins of street art and what you think the pros and cons of street art are here in the UK.

WAGOLL