BCN Rise&Fall - Documentary History of Street Art in Barcelona (English)

Graffiti is one of the most democratic and yet politically divisive art forms in the world. In the early 2000s, Barcelona was one of the most exciting places in the world to be if you were a street artist. The city overflowed with talented street artists and a strong tradition of culture, and attracted internationally renowned artists like Banksy, Space Invaders, London Police or Os Gemeos to come and create art on the city walls. From 2000 - 2004, Barcelona enjoyed a Golden Age of street art and muralism, which spawned the careers of many famous Spanish artists. In the beginning of 2006, the local government began to enforce strict laws and penalise artists for illustrating their urban environments. Today, Spain is in the midst of a deep economic crisis and unemployment is at the highest rate of all history. Cultural spending across the board has been slashed, and yet the local Barcelona Government spends 2 million euros a year on cleaning up the city from street art. At the same time, the Government allows