35 areas across the capital have been made available to graffiti artists, in an agreement reached between the city of Rome and its “writers”.

The pact was presented on 12 July at the Monti Tiburtini metro station by city environment councillor Marco Visconti with the graffiti artist group Walls and cultural association 21 grammi.

Under the agreement, individual artists recognised by the city will be granted exclusive use of a wall for three months. These areas will be identified by signs saying “Hall of Fame” – and include the Metro B stations at S. Maria del Soccorso and Rebibbia and a section of the Circonvallazione Gianincolese.

However all graffiti artists are legally entitled to decorate walls bearing the title “muri liberi”, in areas such as the Gronchi viaduct in north-east Rome, Via Gussone in Prenestina and Via Chiarini in S. Paolo. A full list of walls as well as the various projects being undertaken can be followed on www.urbanact.it.

Visconti said the initiative, which has been in the pipeline for the last two years, would highlight “the difference between true artists and the vandals who deface our walls every night."

Meanwhile, the city’s refuse company Ama Roma has removed over 400,000 sqm of unauthorised graffiti from the historic centre, Trastevere, Testaccio and S. Lorenzo, as well as from public schools, parks and along major access routes to the capital.