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Public Administration & LegalISCO 2659

Street artist

Street artists create visual art such as graffiti art or sticker art in urban environments' public spaces, on the streets, typically expressing feelings or political views and ideas, opting for non-traditional art venues.

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Check yourself in a minute: street artist

Rate 5 of the 18 essential skills of this occupation (European ESCO data). No account needed.

create original drawings

create artwork

adapt artistic plan to location

maintain an artistic portfolio

use artistic materials for drawing

About street artist

As a street artist, you will create compelling visual art in urban public spaces, transforming walls, streets, and outdoor environments into canvases for artistic expression. Your work may include graffiti art, sticker art, murals, or mixed media installations, often communicating powerful messages, political views, or personal feelings through visual storytelling. You will develop original concepts, select appropriate artistic materials and techniques, and adapt your creative vision to suit specific locations and environments. Your career requires not only artistic talent but also an understanding of legal boundaries, intellectual property considerations, and the strategic logistics of producing work in public spaces. You will maintain a professional artistic portfolio showcasing your best work and engage with audiences through discussions about your art and its social impact. Street artists contribute to cultural dialogue, community beautification, and artistic innovation, often working across legal art commissions, community projects, and independent creative endeavors that challenge conventional definitions of where art belongs.

Key Work Functions

Core areas of responsibility for a street artist.

1

Artistic Concept Development

  • Create original drawings and artistic concepts that communicate intended messages
  • Determine visual concepts and aesthetic approaches for each project
  • Gather reference materials and research artistic influences for inspiration
  • Adapt artistic plan to location-specific characteristics and environmental constraints
2

Artistic Execution and Production

  • Create artwork using selected materials and techniques appropriate to the medium
  • Use artistic materials for drawing, painting, and mixed media applications
  • Select and source appropriate materials based on artistic vision and location requirements
  • Ensure visual quality of the finished artwork meets artistic standards
3

Professional Portfolio and Documentation

  • Maintain a comprehensive artistic portfolio showcasing completed works and projects
  • Document artwork through photography and digital media for promotional purposes
  • Study artworks and artistic techniques to continuously develop creative skills
  • Study artistic techniques and experiment with new mediums and approaches
4

Community Engagement and Communication

  • Discuss artwork and artistic intent with audiences and community members
  • Contextualize artistic work within broader cultural, social, or political frameworks
  • Promote work through social media, exhibitions, and community presentations
5

Legal Compliance and Logistics

  • Understand and navigate labour legislation and employment laws relevant to artistic work
  • Manage intellectual property rights and respect copyright considerations for own work
  • Understand graffiti removal techniques and regulations regarding public space art
  • Manage logistics of obtaining necessary permits and coordinating with property owners

European Skills Framework

Skills and knowledge areas required for this occupation based on European classification.

Essential (18)

labour legislationlabour legislationLegislation, on a national or international level, that governs labour conditions in various fields between labour parties such as the government, employees, employers, and trade unions.intellectual property lawintellectual property lawThe regulations that govern the set of rights protecting products of the intellect from unlawful infringement.graffiti removal techniquesgraffiti removal techniquesMethods, materials and procedures to remove graffiti posts from public surfaces: identifying the surface type and material to be removed, selecting a removal method and chemical substances and applyin...art historyart historyThe history of art and artists, the artistic trends throughout centuries and their contemporary evolutions.create original drawingscreate original drawingsCreate original drawings, based on texts, thorough research and discussion with authors, journalists and specialists.create artworkcreate artworkCut, shape, fit, join, mould, or otherwise manipulate materials in an attempt to create a selected artwork-be the technical processes not mastered by the artist or used as a specialist.adapt artistic plan to locationadapt artistic plan to locationAdjust plans to other locations with regards to the artistic concept.maintain an artistic portfoliomaintain an artistic portfolioMaintain portfolios of artistic work to show styles, interests, abilities and realisations.use artistic materials for drawinguse artistic materials for drawingUse artistic materials such as paint, paintbrushes, ink, watercolours, charcoal, oil, or computer software to create artwork.study artistic techniquesstudy artistic techniquesStudy a variety of artistic techniques and learn how to apply them in concrete artistic projects.discuss artworkdiscuss artworkIntroduce and discuss the nature and content of art work, achieved or to be produced with an audience, art directors, catalogue editors, journalists, and other parties of interest.determine visual conceptsdetermine visual conceptsDetermine how best to represent a concept visually.contextualise artistic workcontextualise artistic workIdentify influences and situate your work within a specific trend which may be of an artistic, aesthetic, or philosophical natures. Analyse the evolution of artistic trends, consult experts in the fie...manage logisticsmanage logisticsCreate logistic framework for transporting goods to customers and for receiving returns, execute and follow up the logistics processes and guidelines. Adapt the production processes to the contingenci...gather reference materials for artworkgather reference materials for artworkGather samples of the materials you expect to use in the creation process, especially if the desired piece of art necessitates the intervention of qualified workers or specific production processes.study artworksstudy artworksStudy styles, techniques, colours, textures, and materials used in works of art.ensure visual quality of the setensure visual quality of the setInspect and amend the scenery and set-dressing to make sure the visual quality is optimal with in constraints of time, budget and manpower.select artistic materials to create artworksselect artistic materials to create artworksSelect artistic materials based on strength, colour, texture, balance, weight, size, and other characteristics that should guarantee the feasibility of the artistic creation regarding the expected sha...
Optional (13) — show
assess conservation needsassess conservation needsAssess and list the needs for conservation/restoration, in relation to current use and planned future use.plan art educational activitiesplan art educational activitiesPlan and implement artistic facilities, performance, venues and museum-related educational activities and events.develop educational resourcesdevelop educational resourcesCreate and develop educational resources for visitors, school groups, families and special interest groups.collaborate with technical experts on artworkscollaborate with technical experts on artworksCollaborate with engineers, mechanics, and other technical experts to build, install and move pieces of art.create digital imagescreate digital imagesCreate and process two-dimensional and three-dimensional digital images depicting animated objects or illustrating a process, using computer animation or modelling programs.develop artistic project budgetsdevelop artistic project budgetsDeveloping artistic project budgets for approval, estimating deadlines and material costs.develop artistic educational activitiesdevelop artistic educational activitiesDevelop speeches, activities and workshops in order to foster access and comprehension to the artistic creation processes. It can address a particular cultural and artistic event such as a show or an ...collaborate with a technical staff in artistic productionscollaborate with a technical staff in artistic productionsCoordinate your artistic activities with others who specialise in the technical side of the project. Inform the technical staff of your plans and methods and obtain feedback on feasibility, cost, proc...keep personal administrationkeep personal administrationFile and organise personal administration documents comprehensively.present exhibitionpresent exhibitionPresent an exhibition and give educational lectures in a comprehensible way that is attractive to the public.collaborate with designerscollaborate with designersCommunicate and collaborate with fellow designers in order to coordinate new products and designs.use genre painting techniquesuse genre painting techniquesUse a genre or academic painting and drawing techniques.participate in artistic mediation activitiesparticipate in artistic mediation activitiesParticipate in cultural and artistic mediation activities: announce the activity, give a presentation or talk related to a piece of art or an exhibition, teach a class or a group, lead artistic mediat...

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Frequently asked questions

What does a street artist do?

Street artists create visual art such as graffiti art or sticker art in urban environments' public spaces, on the streets, typically expressing feelings or political views and ideas, opting for non-traditional art venues.

What skills does a street artist need?

A street artist needs 18 essential skills, including labour legislation, intellectual property law, graffiti removal techniques, art history, create original drawings.

Will AI replace street artist jobs?

The AI disruption score for street artist is 17/100 (low risk). Skills most exposed to automation: keep personal administration, intellectual property law, create original drawings. Most resilient: gather reference materials for artwork, present exhibition, study artistic techniques.

Quick Facts

SectorPublic Administration & Legal
ISCO GroupLegal, social and cultural professionals
Essential Skills18

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