Madison’s City Council unanimously voted Tuesday night to require spray paint artists exhibiting their skills on State Street to hold licenses as arts vendors, changing the guidelines previously set out for the exhibitors. 

The move to require the artists to have licenses, introduced by Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, and Ald. Scott Resnick, District 8, was intended to address concerns raised by businesses and other art vendors.

“The city’s Vending Oversight Committee discovered this issue over a series of several meetings over the past year,” Verveer said. “The spray paint artists have been known to create large crowds, bottleneck sidewalks and create fumes.”

Currently, the spray paint artists operate as a combination of street performers and artists, Verveer added. They are prohibited from setting prices on their artwork.

The proposed ordinance will mandate that spray paint artists pay fees to the city, which Resnick said was not previously required. It will also limit what locations on State Street the artists can operate in.

The artists have essentially been too popular, Verveer said. On weekends, large crowds gather around them that often spill into the street.

Resnick said other arts and crafts vendors operating adjacent to the spray paint artists on State Street have complained as well. The fumes coming from the aerosol cans the artists use are not particularly healthy, he added.

“One of the things the proposals do is set specific locations where artists will be assigned, particularly to areas that are conducive to large crowds and aren’t adjacent to sidewalk cafes where the fumes might be unpleasant,” Verveer said. “The bottom line is that these rules are very reasonable and will not inhibit or encourage the continuation of spray paint artists on State Street.” 

No spray paint artists have objected to the license fees, and the proposals will allow city officials to have a specific law to refer back to if there are any issues with the artists, he said.