Glasgow cafe offers its walls to graffiti artists to create city’s first ‘legal’ space
A Glasgow cafe has offered up its walls to local graffiti artists in a bid to create a legal space for them.
The Haylynn Canteen in Whiteinch has taken inspiration from owner Robbie Morrow’s time in Melbourne.
Morrow worked in a cafe which resembled a cement-based Jackson Pollock painting after allowing street artists to adorn it with their work.
Robbie opened the brunch spot in 2019 and is fearless in going against the status quo with his unconventional decision.
He said: “When we got this building, it was a rotten old building.
“So, the inspiration behind this was, in Melbourne, I worked in a cafe which was a free-for-all with the graffiti on the front, and it was a space where people could come down and create.
“I’m not saying every building should have graffiti like covering it but supporting people creating art is a big thing that I’m passionate about, and it’s giving people a space where they don’t have to look over their shoulder and worry about the police telling them not to do it.”
Street artist Alko, who has painted the mural currently on the side wall of Haylynn, said: “It’s good for the city and opens people up to the idea that street art and graffiti can be a positive thing.
“Robbie has been forward thinking with it, utilising the public space he has to showcase local artists.
“Glasgow needs more spaces to practice the art form, so hopefully soon we’ll start to see more dead spaces open to be painted.”
One local approached me outside the shop to express his concerns; he was worried that the incentive to artists would lead to other buildings on the street being covered in graffiti.
However, the hope with the incentive is that it will concentrate any art on the cafe’s walls and provide a space for them to express themselves freely.
Morrow added with a smile: “Trying to bring a bit of colour to the community.
“Some people are going to like it, some people aren’t, but at the end of the day, it can be covered up.”
Watch our short video at the cafe below:
Donald is a third year Multimedia Journalism student at Glasgow Caledonian University.
