During Spray Day – organized by the ÖH FH Salzburg – public space became a creative stage: students and young people from Puch joined forces with graffiti artists “Muck” and “Mizu” to redesign the underpass connecting Puch-Urstein train station and the FH Salzburg campus. The result is a 150 m² artwork that transforms a once anonymous passageway into a vibrant and visible place of community and connection.
The project was carried out over three workshop days at the end of May in cooperation with FH Salzburg, the Austrian Students’ Union (ÖH), the Municipality of Puch bei Hallein, and the Puch Youth Center. Around 50 participants contributed their ideas and brought them to life under the guidance of graffiti artists Michael “Muck” Töpfer and “Mizu.” Spray Day was made possible through the support of the Municipality of Puch bei Hallein and FH Salzburg.
The idea for the project came from Stefanie Kert, a student in the Master’s programme in Social Innovation and board member responsible for social affairs at ÖH FH Salzburg. Inspiration for the project emerged primarily from the course “Social Innovation Lab” as well as her involvement in the university’s sustainability task force. The insights and hands-on experiences gained there provided an important foundation for both the concept and its implementation.
“Art connects people and can transform places like this into spaces of encounter and solidarity. As Social Affairs Officer and a Master’s student in Social Innovation, it is especially important to me to make exactly these kinds of community-building projects possible,” says Stefanie Kert, who supported the project throughout its planning and all workshop days.
Graffiti Project Turns Underpass into a Landmark
Under the artistic direction of Michael “Muck” Töpfer and “Mizu,” the many individual ideas were merged into a cohesive overall composition. A colorful visual ribbon now extends throughout the underpass, connecting youth culture, university life, and public space. The artwork makes diversity, solidarity, and creativity visible while giving the location a new identity.
The Municipality of Puch bei Hallein played a key role in the successful implementation of the project. Through its active support and constructive cooperation with FH Salzburg and the Youth Center, ideal conditions were created. The project demonstrates how effective regional partnerships can be when it comes to enhancing public spaces and fostering participation.
Dominik Engel, Rector and CEO of FH Salzburg, highlights the lasting significance of the initiative:
“Spray Day demonstrates how vibrant collaboration between a university, the region, and young people can be. By actively involving students and local youth, an anonymous passageway has been transformed into a place with identity and expression. It is a powerful example of how we can shape our shared living environment together.”
