From abandoned to art in eight weeks: How street artists transformed one of Canberra’s dilapidated buildings

What was once barren brick walls covered in scrawls of graffiti and surrounded by long grass is now a bold and bright representation of Canberra’s local culture and history.

After sitting unused for 14 years, Canberra street artists have turned the old Police and Community Youth Clubs (PCYC) building in Turner into a work of art.

A group of 26 artists have spent the last eight weeks painting a little of Canberra’s story on their own slice of the building’s façade, visible to whoever wanders past.

The artworks are many and varied, from a tribute to Stasia Dabrowski, the beloved “soup kitchen lady” who died earlier this year, to a formidable portrait of Raiders player Josh Papalii.