This book explores how copyright laws are perceived within street art and graffiti subcultures to examine how artists and writers view certain creative aspects of their own practice. Drawing on ethnographic research and fieldwork, the book gives voice to the main actors of these communities and highlights their feelings and opinions toward issues that are increasingly impacting their everyday life and work. It also touches on related and complementary issues, such as the 'gallerisation' or economic exploitation of these forms of art and the curious similarities between the graffiti and advertising worlds. Unique and comprehensive, Copyright on the Street brings the 'voice from the street' into the debate over the legal and non-legal protection of street art and graffiti.

‘Bonadio has done very thorough research on graffiti and street art cultures and has included interviews, opinions and comments from some of its key players. The case studies and examples are unquestionably relevant, and useful for navigating a very real obstacle that creators of public art are faced with today.’

Al Diaz - author of SAMO©…SINCE 1978

‘Enrico Bonadio is an accomplished scholar of street art, graffiti and the law. In this book he provides a comprehensive well-researched overview of copyright laws as perceived by the practitioners of these forms of art, highlighting the ramifications experienced across creative fields and the many issues facing the legal (and non-legal) protections afforded to street art and graffiti.‘

Jeff Gluck - Gluck Law Firm P. C., focusing on representing street artists and graffiti writers and enforcing their intellectual property rights

‘Enrico Bonadio is the one who better knows and understands the world of graffiti and street art, and their intersection with copyright regimes. In this new book, he takes a step further and offers us a direct and authentic perspective of this complex and ever evolving artistic reality - and he does so through the opinions of its protagonists. Bonadio's study is essential for a better understanding of the graffiti and street art phenomenon and to steer a much-needed legal analysis.’

Elena Vicente Domingo - Professor of Law at the University of Burgos, Spain

Enrico Bonadio did it again! In this volume, he brings together years of research into a comprehensive look at copyright in street art and graffiti. Here, Bonadio combines his legal acumen with his philosophical sensibility and historical knowledge to uncover a watershed moment in the study of intellectual property applied to urban creativity. No serious discussion of intellectual property in the arts, or, more broadly, street art, will be able to ignore this work.’

Andrea Baldini - Professor of Philosophy and Aesthetics, Alliance University, India

‘One of the definitions of graffiti is ‘making letters dance’. Bonadio makes his written words dance in front of us, becoming the perfect tour guide to a world that we probably only glimpsed before. As I already said, you will never see street art quite the same way after reading this book. I know I won’t.’

Ernesto Edwards Source: European Intellectual Property Review