Graffiti and urban tourism

street art and cultural landscapes in tourist spaces of Natal (RN), Brazil

Abstract

This study examines graffiti as an artistic and decorative element present in tourism and leisure spaces in the city of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte (Brazil), exploring its potential contribution to the urban landscape and to the diversification of cultural tourism in the destination. The research adopts a qualitative and exploratory-descriptive approach, combining bibliographic research, direct observation of murals and semi-structured interviews with local graffiti artists. Three locations known for both artistic interventions and visitor circulation were selected for the analysis: Beco da Lama, Escadaria de Mãe Luiza and the Ponta Negra waterfront. The murals were observed considering aspects such as conservation, accessibility, signage, availability of visitor information and safety conditions. In addition, interviews were conducted with artists and representatives of the local graffiti scene between October 2024 and January 2025 in order to better understand the history of graffiti in the city, its relationship with public policies and its possible role in tourism. The findings suggest that graffiti already contributes to shaping Natal’s urban visual identity and has supported the revitalization of certain spaces while also offering possibilities for diversifying the city’s tourism offer. At the same time, challenges remain, particularly regarding the preservation of artworks, the absence of tourist signage and the limited articulation between artists and public authorities in the development of more structured policies for urban art. The study concludes that graffiti has the potential to strengthen cultural and urban tourism in Natal, provided that initiatives for its recognition, management and promotion are expanded.