CASE STUDY: Why Hoarding Art Isn't a Cost - It's an Investment
Building sites are a fact of life. Whether it's a new development in the heart of the city or a long-term renovation project on your local high street, hoardings are everywhere. And for the most part, they're an eyesore, graffiti magnets, blank grey barriers that cut communities off from spaces they once used and loved.
But what if they didn't have to be?
I've been a champion of public art for a long time, and one of the things I feel most strongly about is the untapped potential of hoarding space. Commissioning an artist to transform a building site hoarding isn't a luxury - it's one of the smartest investments a developer or site owner can make.
“it's one of the smartest investments a developer or site owner can make”
It protects your site. A beautifully decorated hoarding commands respect in a way a plain one simply doesn't. I represent an artist called Abotz, whose hoarding on Warren Street has been in place for over ten months. It still looks absolutely perfect, not a tag, not a scratch. When a wall has purpose and beauty, people leave it alone. That's not a coincidence.
It works for the community. Construction is disruptive. There's no getting around it. But a stunning piece of public art turns that disruption into something people actually stop to look at, photograph and talk about. It says to the neighbourhood: we see you, and we care about your experience.
It supports artists fairly. When you commission hoarding art through the right representative, you're putting money directly into the hands of a working artist. A real person, with a real practice, creating something original for your space.
It reflects well on your brand. In a world where people increasingly care about who they do business with, being the developer that invested in local art is a story worth telling.
A grey hoarding costs you nothing upfront and everything in perception. A commissioned artwork costs a little more and gives back far more than you'd expect. Plus it saves you asking (and paying) your workers to cover over graffiti tags with a lick of mismatched paint, that let’s be honest looks absolutely shocking.
Want to explore what this could look like for your site? Get in touch at hello@georginabillings.com