Following a successful trial of a legal art wall in Melksham, Wiltshire Council is looking to roll out the project into other towns and communities in the county.

The legal art wall in Melksham was initiated in September 2024 by Melksham Area Board to give local artists the opportunity to showcase their talent without vandalising property.

It is situated at the underpass on the A350 Bath Road in the town, and while it is managed and monitored by Wiltshire Council, Melksham Art Group, a local community group, has been given responsibility for supervising the use of the space and ensuring artists stick to the code of conduct for using the wall.

Council officers have been regularly inspecting the site during the initial six-month trial period, and the underpass has seen a significant reduction in illegal graffiti and littering and the area is more welcoming and aesthetically pleasing. Residents seem to like the new artwork too, with lots of positive feedback about the high quality of the designs.

Following this successful trial, the council will keep the legal art wall in Melksham and it is looking to roll the project out into other towns around the county, where there are suitable sites and local community groups that are willing to take it on.

Cllr Martin Smith, Cabinet Member for Highways, Streetscene and Flooding, said: “We’re delighted that the legal art wall has been such a success in Melksham. We’ve seen both a general improvement to the area and a reduction in illegal graffiti, and we’ve also given local artists the opportunity to showcase their talents.

“Thanks to this success, we are now looking to roll out the programme to other towns in Wiltshire to both reduce illegal graffiti and provide local artists with a legitimate platform to showcase their talents.

“I’d urge any community or art groups around the county to get in touch and where we can, we’ll work with them to find a suitable site in their area.”

Any community groups or artists that would like to have a legal art wall in their community should contact richard.rogers@wiltshire.gov.uk to find out more.