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
Distorted Furniture Street Art
Alex Chinneck Designs the Surrealism First Kiss at Last Light
Sporty Vibrant Collaborative Socks
MoMA and Nike Join Forces on the Everyday Sock
Groundbreaking AR Posters
Wall's Out-of-Home Ads Make AR Experiences Unmissable with WinDOOH Tech
Groundbreaking Sticker Technology
StickerYou Recently Launched Its Image Transfer Sticker Product
Illustrative 420 Campaigns
Vizie Unveils His Latest Work for Grassroots' 420 Campaign
Oil Painting-Inspired Rugs
Antonio Santín Presents a New Collection of Intricate Rugs
AI-Generated Soup Can Art
The Campbell’s 'pAIntings' Initiative is Inspired by Artistic Greats
Inclusive Skincare Campaigns
Vaseline Launched Mended Murals Aim to Care for Skin of Color
Creativity-Fostering Art Events
POSCA Becomes Secret Walls' Official Paint Marker
Rediscovered Iconic Masterpieces
A Long-Lost Work from Gustav Klimt Will Embark on a Global Tour
Artist-Inspired Sweaters
The Lee® X Basquiat™ Printed Sweater Fuses Collage and Graffiti Elements
Artistic Pilates Sock Collections
MoveActive Introduces the Art Series Collection
Statement Street Art
Alex Chinneck’s Surreal Street Art Transforms Bristol's Urban Landscape
Graphic Collaborative Streetwear
Born x Raised Joins Online Ceramics on the Born Online Capsule
Graphic Garment-Dyed Streetwear
Stüssy and Levi's Join on a New Collection Together
Artist-Backed Breakdancing Sneaker
Futura Joins Nike to Decorate the Jam Sneaker Model
Japanese Artwork Sneakers
These Converse All-Star Sneakers Come in Two Styles
Psychedelic Sculptural Art Installations
The Frank Stella: Recent Sculpture Exhibition Opens in NY
Street Art Metaverses
LG OLED & Shepard Fairey Teamed up for a Frieze Los Angeles Exhibition
Functional Illuminated Bricks
Omar Gandhi Architects Creates the OG Brick Light for Various Uses
Battle-Style Art Events
Secret Walls Relaunches its 'The Art of Competition' Tour
Sexuality-Exploring Artful Exhibitions
Faye Toogood Explores Sensuality with the Rude Arts Club
Urban Sneaker-Inspired Exhibits
Museum of Graffiti Introduces the Sneaker Stories Pop-Up Exhibit
AR-Revived Premium Art Projects
Musée de Louvre and Snapchat Presents the Egypt Augmented Project
Creativity Time Capsules
Crayola's Campaign for Creativity Reunites Adults with Childhood Art
Colorfully Inflatable Art Installations
This Year's BlowUp Art The Hague Marks its Third
Removable Wall Paints
'UNPAINT' Can Be Easily Removed When Moving Out or Updating a Space
Graffiti-Painted Beer Packaging
1664 x André Saraiva Debut a New Vibrant Collaboration
Pollution-Removing Murals
This Campaign Sucks by Dentsu Brings Awareness to London's Air Quality
Traveling Fine Art Campaigns
EasyJet's Get Out There Features Mona Lisa, The Thinker and More
Maximalist Pop Art Sneakers
Keiichi Tanaami Joins adidas On a Pair of its Superstars
Heritage-Honoring Artful Posters
Herman Miller Adds to the Archival Poster Collection
Concept-Driven Public Art Installations
Ivan Toth Depeña Unveils Photon/s in Downtown Charlotte
Artist-Inspired Dynamic Basketballs
round21 Designs Basketballs Inspired by Basquiat and Haring
Glowing Movie Campaign Murals
Paramount Creates a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Mural
Perception-Challenging Art Exhibitions
Raise the Moral Studio Presents the Becoming Familiar Show
Vibrant Artist Pop-Up Books
Poposition Press Brings Life to the Keith Haring Pop-Up Book
Dynamic Art Exhibitions
The 'Art in Motion' Exhibition Features Moving Artworks
Provocative Guerrilla Campaigns
Jewelry Brand MWCurated Uses Fake Infidelity Flyers for Marketing
Visual Museum Campaigns
MoMA’s New Museum Campaign Transforms NYC into an Art Lover’s Paradise
Playful Public Seating Designs
The London Festival of Architecture Boasts a Series of Seats
Museum-Approved Artist Collaborations
The Museum of Graffiti is Unveiling Three Exclusive Collabs
Burgeoning Psychedelic Art Movements
The Chambers Project/PACT Embrace the Psychedelic Movement
Rapper-Starred Fall Fashion Campaigns
Mallet London Taps Ghetts for Local Legends Campaign
Sportswear Imprint Art Exhibitions
adidas Originals Presents the Originals Newcastle Exhibition
Playful Creativity-Focused Campaigns
Sharpie® Launches the World is Your Canvas Tour
Edgy Backpack-Centric Fashion Shows
Sprayground Debuts Its New Capsule — At The Edge of Time
Tree-Integrated Mysterious Art
Banksy Unveils a Mysterious Tree Mural in London's Finsbury Park
Renter-Friendly Wallpaper Collections
Otto Studio & Tierney Milne Created Peel-and-Stick Decor
Global AI Art Contests
Shutterstock and the UN Partner for the Canvas of the Future
Artistic Auto Showcases
The 20th BMW Art Car Was Unveiled at the Guggenheim Museum
Sustainable Artist-Inspired Shoes
Cariuma Presents a New Series of Sneakers Inspired by Van Gogh
Pop Art-Style Blocked Portraits
Ai Weiwei Presents Ai in Red Made from Bright LEGO Bricks
Intricate Fiber Art Exhibitions
Threadwork: Women Redefining Fiber Arts Opens at Saatchi
AI Tattoo Generators
Tattoo Canvas Has Endless Creative Possibilities for Artistic Expression
Community-Centric Art Galleries
The Tableau Gallery Will Host a Roster of Designe
Colorful Textile-Inspired Design Projects
Yinka Ilori Debuts Projects at ART on THE MART & NeoCon
90s Graffiti Culture-Inspired Streetwear
NEIGHBORHOOD and Subware Join Forces on a Capsule
Evolved Vibrant Graffiti Art
Jan Kaláb Showcases The Evolution of His Bright Artwork
Iconic Artwork Watch Collaborations
These Artful Watches Feature Masterpieces from the MET
Expansive Graphic-Detailed Streetwear
Drama Call Presents its New Collection for the Season
Subterranean Courtyard Galleries
Buzz Designs the Hermit Space Yards in Beijing Park
Young-Artist Graphic Rug Collections
Alf Bärbel Wit Designs the LineLinesLines Collection
Waste Tarp-Made Public Seating
The Membran Collective Joins the Urban Networks Project
Pop Art Skateboard Capsules
THE SKATEROOM Unveils a Collection Inspired by Roy Lichtenstein
Online Lifestyle-Inspired Street Festivals
The Xiaohongshu Street Life Festival is Exciting
Digital City-Inspired Art Works
New Digital Art is on Display in Grand Central Station
Italian Heritage Brand Identities
Sergio Soldano Launches Tableau D’Art in Cannes and Genoa
Graffiti Artist-Collab Streetwear
JA ONE XTC Joins Awake NY On a New Range of Apparel
Limited Art Apparel Collections
House Industries Launches the Autotype Series of Art and Apparel
Contemporary Artful Bright Apartments
Butterfly Studios Designs a Bright Krakow Apartment
Decorative Removable Paints
Glasst Unveils Unpaint to Easily Remove Paint
Artwork-Adorned Collaborative Boots
TATE and Dr. Martens Celebrate Ithell Colquhoun's Work
Church-Housed Art Galleries
Greg Mike Expands Beyond His Well-Known Street Art and Murals
Spray Can Fragrances
Step Aboard's Chicago Perfumes Pay Homage to Works of Art
Street Artist Digitalized Exhibitions
LG OLED and Shepard Fairey Showcase Digital Street Art
Hip-Hop-Influenced Art Installations
B-side: (Broken) Memory and Remix Presents the BRIC House
Creatively Sponsored Art Events
Sharpie is Sponsoring the Upcoming Art Battle Event in Los Angeles
Photographer-Collab Card Games
Gray Malin's Work is Highlighted in the New UNO Artiste Series
Ambient Atmospheric Music Exhibitions
Brian Eno Presents a New Show at the Paul Stolper Gallery
Scannable Skincare Murals
The Ordinary's Interactive Augmented Reality Mural Promotes Bodycare
Graphic-Centric Minimal Streetwear
Drama Call Presents a Look at its Newest Collection
Anniversary-Honoring Graphic T-Shirts
Places+Faces Launch Collaboration Tees for 10 Years
Global Storytelling Initatives
Vans Announces its Narrative-Centric Always Pushing Campaign
Artful Climate-Themed Installations
Michael Pinsky & Studio Bark Unveil the Making a Stand Design
Comprehensive Gallery Renovations
Carmody Groarke Releases Plans for the Dulwich Picture Gallery
Street Art-Adorned Perforated Footwear
Crocs Joins Futura Laboraties on a New Set of Shoes
Repurposed Waste Transit Tiles
Jeffrey Miller Creates Riles for the London Underground
University Art Museum Brandng
Principal Delivers the New Brand Identity of The Gund
Historic Showroom Art Galleries
Johnston Marklee Transforms the Robert Projects Art Gallery
Artfully Inspired Home Renovations
Reflect Architecture Designs the North Drive House in Toronto
Exploratory Art Exhibits
The Saga of the Department Stores Exhibit Explores Shopping’s Evolution
Live-In Art Gallery Homes
Casa Galeria is a Home That Doubles as an Art Gallery
Revamped Monolithic Galleries
The Revamped National Portrait Gallery Emphasizes Public Space
Statement Wall Covering Collections
Wolf-Gordon Presents a Capsule of El Muro Wall Coverings
Youth Art Campaigns
Sun Bum Taps Into the Gen Alpha Market with an Innovative Art Contest
Generative AI Historical Art
Google Presents the Art Selfie 2 Feature Fusing Art and Selfies
Jacquard Textile Design Exhibitions
Kutsaa Saksi Unveils In The Borderlands in Helsinki
Painting-Immersive Photo Exhibits
Abelardo Morell Presents the New Ground Exhibition
Travel-Inspired Canvas Paintings
SOLDIER Presents the Passport Series of Artful Looks
Festive Light Painting Techniques
NASA Astronauts Creates Captivating Light Paintings
Creative Sun Safety Installations
Giant Beach Installation is a Reminder to Practice Sun Safety
Interactive Typo Art Installations
Pasha Radetzki Creates the Love-Ego=LOV in New York
Swirled Public Art Installations
FreelandBuck Designs the Tunnel Vision Installation
Illustrative Artist-Collaborative Card Games
Shantell Martin Joins UNO's Ongoing Artiste Series
Geometric Colorful Residential Spaces
Office S&M Designs the Vibrant Graphic House in London
Vibrant Public Art Installations
Rico Gatson's Installation Brings Life to Penn Station
Earthy Community Arts Center
New Makers Bureau and Localworks Design the 32° East Arts Centre
Celebratory Hip-Hop Collaborations
Mitchell & Ness Collaborates with Legendary Graffiti Crew Tats
Vibrantly Colorful Dynamic Artwork
Kayla Rumpp's Art is Seen as Both Painting and Sculptural
Brutalism Pop Art Residences
02A Studio Presents the Casa Polly in Historic Rome Quarters
Music Culture-Honoring Graphic Tees
Patta's Dance T-Shirt Celebrates the UK's Music Culture
Video Game-Themed Pixel Paintings
Minecraft Honors Anniversary with a Pixel Art Collection
Billboard-Transformed Tent Shelters
Wunderman Thompson Morocco Creates the Life-Saving Outdoors
Boundless Art Exhibitions
The Frameless Experience Showcases Iconic Art Beyond Reality
Reimagined Impressionist Paintings
AT&T Partners with Smartify to Highlight 5G Technology and AR
Kyoto-Inspired Solo Art Exhibitions
Philadelphia Gallery Displayed Ode to Kyoto and It's Wild Here
Artistic QR Codes
QR Artwork Directory Creates QR Codes That Boost User Engagement
Bright London Typeface Installations
Yinka Ilori Showcases Good Things Come to Those Who Wait
Beginner Artistic Inspiration
Drawing Prompts Helps Artists Develop a Consistent Practice
Inaugural Design Exhibitions
Francesco Balzano's Inizio Show is Presented by STUDIOTWENTYSEVEN
Immigration System-Inspired Artworks
SOLDIER's Passport Series Confront the Biased Justice System
Dynamic Public Artwork Installations
NEON Creates the Born to Be Wild Installation in the UK
Natural Material-Transformed Artworks
Borrowed Earth Collaborative Uses Natural Materials for Art
Mobile Artwork Purchasing Platforms
The 'Cohart' Platform Supports Modern Art Buyers and Sellers
Romantic Debut Solo Exhibitions
EJR Barnes Debuts A Room on East 79th Street Show
Mysterious Painted Car-Door Auctions
Banksy's Crazy Horse Artwork Goes to Auction
Empowering Artful Basketball Courts
Na Chainkua Reindorf Creates Bright Art for NYC Courts
Unseen Artist Masterpieces
A Hidden Chamber Reveals Michelangelo's Untold Works
Dynamic Artful Car Designs
Julie Mehretu Unveils the Art-Adorned BMW M Hybrid V8 Car
Fostered Design Curations
Brompton Design District Unveil Conviviality: The Art of Living Together
Artful Cartoonish Canal Bridges
Artist Frankey Installs the Canal Skybridge in Amsterdam
Politically Artful Textile Shows
Barbican Hosts Unravel: The Power and Politics of Textiles in Art
Free City-Wide Museum Days
Museums Free-for-All Offers Free Admission to L.A's Museums
Street Artist Tequila Collaborations
Tequila Avión Collaborates with Artist Gustavo Zermeño Jr.
Archaeological Protection Initiatives
The Remains of the Curtain Playhouse are Uncovered in London
Nomadic Berlin Design Galleries
Forma Presents the The Room I Walk the Line Exhibition
Colonial History Art Exhibitions
RIBA Presents Raise the Roof: Building for Change
90s Graphic Editor Updates
Microsoft is Finally Updating its MS Paint app with New Layers
Contemporary Permanent Art Displays
Cj Hendry Introduces the HOOPS Tree Installation in Miami