Graffiti News

Digbeth, a district of Birmingham known for its street art and creative spaces, is the subject of growing complaints about graffiti and redevelopment. According to Metro, some residents of the area once dubbed "Britain's coolest neighbourhood" now say almost every street is covered in tags. A mosaic of US President John F. Kennedy, unveiled in 1968, has been defaced.

What are Digbeth residents complaining about?

Residents say the line between street art and unchecked tagging has disappeared. Natalie Freeman, 39, who works at the Custard Factory creative hub, told Metro: "it was always just street art but vandals just tag away with no repercussions now and almost every street is covered in it." Another resident, Jamie, said: "people are seeing the street art as meaning anyone can paint anything on any wall and it is starting to look a right mess."

The Kennedy mosaic has become the symbol of the dispute. Jamie said "a mural should be pretty sacred and kept up to date" and called the targeting of the JFK mosaic appalling. Residents also told Metro that fly-tipping has become common and raised concerns about safety at night. Metro reports that police statistics place Digbeth among the areas with higher crime rates in Birmingham.

How is regeneration changing Digbeth?

Some residents blame regeneration and gentrification for the decline. According to Metro, scenes from Peaky Blinders were filmed in Digbeth, the show's creator Steven Knight opened studios there in October 2025, and the BBC is due to move into a new flagship base in the area next year. West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker has promised that "Digbeth will be bigger, better and bolder than Salford's Media City".

The regeneration programme is a 20-year plan with 11 development sites earmarked for 35 plots, launched at the UK Real Estate, Investment and Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) in May 2025. Freeman described the regeneration as a "double edge sword", saying smaller independents are moving out because of rising costs. "They've pumped lots of money into certain projects in a tiny radius instead of focusing on Digbeth as a whole," she said. Metro said it had contacted Birmingham City Council for comment.

What Digbeth means for people who follow street art

Digbeth shows a tension familiar in neighbourhoods that become known for street art. In the residents' account, murals and creative spaces made the area attractive, that attraction drew development, and development raised the rents of the people who created the atmosphere. At the same time, the shared understanding of which walls can be painted, and with what, appears to have weakened — so calls to protect older works sit alongside complaints that whole streets are now covered.

Wallscape does not endorse illegal painting and does not take a side in the art-versus-vandalism debate. Documentation does help, though: when a work like the Kennedy mosaic is recorded, it becomes easier to compare its condition over time and argue for its care. If you visit Digbeth, focus on commissioned murals and public works, and log what you find on the Wallscape map.

Source: Metro