Now, Brisbane City Council, which has copped past criticism for an intolerant and blinkered approach to the value of street art, is showings signs of loosening up its attitude.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner made much this week of unveiling the first of many planned public street art walls around the city.

The wall, beneath the M1 at Ekibin Park East at Greenslopes, is aimed at encouraging street artists to push their styles and hone their craft without the need to win a specifically commissioned work.

“This new program will identify public spaces where street artists can express their creativity, hone their skills and transform blank canvases into amazing murals for residents and visitors to enjoy,” Schrinner said.

“I believe Brisbane’s street art can be a unique local tourism drawcard ahead of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games with the potential for city-wide tours and outdoor exhibitions.”

Brisbane has more than 500 recognised pieces of street art, not including the growing number of gaily decorated traffic light boxes. While most are displayed in the city and the inner suburbs, there are works in places as far afield as Ferny Hills and Kallangur.

The council is hoping Brisbane can follow in the footsteps of Melbourne, where governments at all levels have long embraced the potential for good street art to attract visitors. Places such as Hosier Lane and Duckboard Place in Melbourne’s CBD have helped earn the city a reputation as one of the best in the world for street art, and made an estimated $62 million a year in tourism spending in the process.

Brisbane City Council spends $3 million a year on removing graffiti and has been known to come down harshly on any illegally installed artwork – “buffing” away unauthorised pieces by even established artists. Several artists have reportedly moved away from the city, discouraged by the council’s intolerance of their activities.

However, the council is now working hard to establish its cultural credentials in the field.

The council-sponsored Brisbane Street Art festival, introduced in 2016, will return in May this year, bringing international artists to the city to teach and collaborate with local artists.

The council also enlisted street artists Smalls and Tervo to praise the street art wall policy.

“By creating a space where artists are free to create public work with freedom to take chances and even fail, Council is showing a dedication to start building an environment that authentically supports a healthy and thriving public art community in Brisbane,” Tervo said.