London-based artist Stik is a painter who cares, an artist who remembers where he came from and shows concern for the community he lives in, his art is all about community, about people, about lives, about life. His work is now much sought after, collectors paying what some might consider silly money – the markets dictate these things, not the artists (unless your name is Hirst and your art is almost entirely about little more than the price tag). What to do when the art you painted on the street, the art you painted for everyone, starts changing hands for hands for the kind of money that really would benefit the community? This just in…

Stik, Magpie Centre, Bristol

30^th November 2016: “Street Artist Stik has agreed to authenticate and approve the sale of a street art piece he once painted on the front of the Magpie Social Centre in Bristol. This piece appeared in 2009 on the front wall of the not-for-profit social centre which was evicted earlier this year and is currently looking for a new premises.

Stik states: “The Magpie Social Centre was one of the free spaces that actively encouraged street art and helped me to become the artist I am today. I don’t generally approve of the sale of street pieces but here I will make an exception. It gives me great pleasure to authenticate this piece so that Magpie can continue to support the next generation of artists.”

Stik only authenticates street artworks when all proceeds benefit the community they were painted for. The artist was approached by the community centre earlier this year and helped set up the sale with London auction house Phillips. The piece titled ‘Magpie’ has been preserved, framed and logged and comes with a certificate of authenticity. This fundraising system has been set up to counteract removal and unauthenticated trade in street artworks.”

The log of all authenticated street artworks can be found at www.stik.org /fundraising