From outlaw art to urban euphoria: Graffiti legitimization processes from within.

This article examines the processes of legitimization and de-marginalization of graffiti as a form of urban cultural expression, focusing on the perceptions and roles of various stakeholders including artists, authorities, intermediaries, businesses, and the public. Drawing on interviews with graffiti artists and related actors from Vienna, Sofia, St. Petersburg, and São Paulo, it highlights how legal, cultural, and political contexts, trust in institutions, cooperation dynamics, and urban development pressures such as gentrification shape graffiti's evolving status from illicit vandalism to recognized art form. The research identifies tensions between artistic freedom and institutional regulation, differing attitudes toward commercialization, and the mediating role of intermediaries in negotiations between artists and authorities. It also discusses how graffiti's transformation impacts artists' self-identification and the broader urban cultural landscape, raising questions about the preservation of graffiti's original rebellious and political character amid mainstream acceptance.