For years Warsaw has been struggling with the problem of illegal inscriptions and paintings in public space, known as pseudograffiti. We are not talking here about real street art, but about random scribbles that disfigure the city. Combating this phenomenon is a never-ending cost and challenge for property owners, especially those under conservation protection. To combat this more effectively, the capital’s authorities have launched a new tool. From January 2025, owners of historic buildings in Warsaw can apply for subsidies for the removal of illegal inscriptions.
How does the programme to combat pseudograffiti work?
The new rules are set out in a resolution of the Warsaw City Council of 19 September 2024. Subsidies are available to owners of buildings entered in the register of monuments and those included in the municipal register of monuments (GEZ). Applications can be submitted throughout the year. If they are submitted by 30 June, the grant decision can be made later in the year and the work must be completed by the end of December. On the other hand, applications submitted after this date relate to works planned for the following year and only then can funds be awarded.
What about the work already done?
The Warsaw programme also provides for the possibility of reimbursement for work already carried out, provided that the cleaning took place no more than three years before the application was made. Such reimbursements are only considered in April, in parallel with other reimbursement requests. Complete documentation is then required, including cost estimates, contracts with contractors and a photographic record of the work: before, during and after cleaning.
Documents needed
An application for a grant for the removal of pseudograffiti is submitted in a similar way as for other restoration works, but a separate form needs to be completed. The document should include the programme of the planned activities, cost estimate, photographs of the object and (depending on the monument’s status) the conservator’s permit (for buildings entered in the register) or the opinion of the Capital City Monument Conservator’s Office (for objects included in the communal register of monuments).
Removal of pseudograffiti only under supervision
Work carried out on monuments requires extreme caution. It is the conservationist who decides which cleaning method is safe for a particular façade. Not all techniques are suitable, and improperly carried out cleaning may irreparably damage the surface. The application of special anti-graffiti coatings also requires the approval of the capital’s conservator. In some cases, such as with cladding made of delicate materials, such protection cannot be applied at all.
Combating vandalism
Through the programme, Warsaw is reaching out to owners of historic buildings to support them in this difficult and uneven fight against vandals. The capital’s authorities want to help preserve the aesthetic and historical value of valuable buildings. Although scribbles will not disappear overnight, city subsidies can make a real difference to the appearance of public spaces and protect the capital’s heritage from further damage.
Source: Warsaw City Hall
Read also: Monument | Renovation | City | Warsaw | Architecture in Poland
