Comparative Evolution of Public Art and Street Murals in Urban Europe

Thesis Abstract

This study investigates how public art and street murals have evolved in urban European contexts, addressing the problem of uneven policy support, fragmented archiving practices, and divergent stylistic trajectories that hinder comparative understanding across cities with different governance regimes, cultural histories, and social dynamics. The aim is to map and compare the trajectories of public art and street mural practices from the post-2000 era to the present, delineating drivers, governance arrangements, aesthetic modalities, and community impacts. Specific objectives include (1) to document policy frameworks, funding mechanisms, and regulatory environments shaping public art and street murals in five urban centers (Berlin, Barcelona, Manchester, Milan, and Prague) between 2005 and 2024; (2) to analyze stylistic and thematic shifts in mural production using a dataset of 1,200 publicly accessible mural works, coded for scale, technique, subject matter, and visible social messaging; (3) to examine stakeholder perspectives (artists, municipal officials, property owners, and community organizations) through 40 in-depth interviews and 20 focus groups; (4) to assess socio-spatial impacts on local communities via ethnographic observations and a regional survey of 2,000 residents; and (5) to synthesize findings within a comparative framework to identify best practices and policy implications. The research adopts a mixed-methods, multi-site comparative design, integrating quantitative content analysis with qualitative thematic analysis underpinned by the theoretical lens of cultural political economy and urban aesthetics. The population comprises public art deployments and street murals across the selected cities, municipal policy documents, and involved stakeholders. A stratified purposive sample of mural sites (n=240) will be selected to represent diverse neighborhoods (dense urban cores, marginalized districts, and gentrifying zones). Data collection instruments include a standardized mural coding framework, semi-structured interview guides for five stakeholder groups, an international survey instrument for residents, and field observation protocols. Validity and reliability will be ensured through inter-coder reliability checks (Cohen’s kappa > 0.80) for content coding, pilot testing of interview guides, and triangulation across data sources. Data analysis will proceed in three stages (i) quantitative content analysis of mural attributes and thematic presence using regression analysis to test associations between policy intensity and mural characteristics; (ii) qualitative thematic analysis of interview and focus group transcripts to extract recurrent narratives about governance, mobility, and community impact; and (iii) integration through a convergent mixed-methods synthesis, supported by visual mapping of mural networks and a conceptual model illustrating the relationships among governance structures, artistic practices, and social outcomes. Anticipated findings include differential influence of municipal regulations and funding schemes on mural scale and content; evidence that clearer permitting processes and participatory design lead to higher community satisfaction and perceived safety; identification of distinct stylistic shifts toward socially engaged, politically resonant imagery in cities with robust civic coalitions; and measurable positive associations between mural visibility in deprived neighborhoods and local sense of place, moderated by community engagement practices. The study contributes to knowledge by offering a rigorous, trans-city comparative framework that links policy regimes, artistic practice, and social impact, and by developing a transferable typology of governance models for urban art. It also advances methodological approaches to studying urban cultural production through integrated mixed methods and participatory research. The conclusion emphasizes that coordinated governance, sustained funding, and inclusive community participation are essential to maximizing positive urban outcomes from public art and street murals. Recommendations include the adoption of standardized permitting pathways with co-creation processes, investment in community-led mural programs in underserved areas, and the creation of shared documentation platforms to enable cross-city learning and archival continuity for future research.