“Keep Houston Dirty” is not an unofficial city nickname, such as “Keep Austin Weird.” It was the title of a September 1, 2006 show that featured Houston’s graffiti artists. Not everyone in Houston was happy about the event; Houston’s city government is trying to fight graffiti.
 
The seemingly endless imitation Texas city slogans include “Keep San Antonio Lame,” “Keep Dallas Pretentious,” “Keep Dallas Plastic,” “Keep Dallas Douche,” “Keep Denton Chido,” “Keep Abilene Boring,” “Keep College Station Normal,” “Keep Georgetown Normal,” “Keep Round Rock Mildly Unusual,” “Keep Wimberley Weirder,” “Keep Lubbock Flat” and “Keep Waco Wacko.”
 
 
art houston
Keep Houston Dirty
topic posted Wed, August 16, 2006 - 3:02 PM by daniel
Come out and witness some of Houston’s best graffiti artists do their thing on a 100 ft. wall while ceeplus, fredster, 7000 ft. tall & dunnock play the music to keep your body moving.
When: Friday Sept. 1st
Where: The Grab (809 Pierce)
   
Daily Cougar Online
Volume 72, Issue 10, Friday, September 1, 2006
Life & Arts
Event explores graffiti as art
by EVELYN VILLATORO
The Daily Cougar

Downtown’s The G.R.A.B. can anticipate a new exterior as more than 20 Houston graffiti artists will renovate the bar’s façade Friday during the Art Crimes event Keep Houston Dirty.

Keep Houston Dirty is an event that organizers hope will prove graffiti is more than what meets the eyes.
 
“We’re trying to expose graffiti for more of an art form than gang-related,” Daniel Holdridge, an advertising junior and co-founder of Art Crimes, said. 
 
Graffiti is usually not perceived as a form of art, but as a type of vandalism that is often illegal. Unfortunately, most of the graffiti Houstonians see is not exactly fine art and usually is promoting some sort of gang.
 
Holdridge and his crew want to change that point of view.
 
While the graffiti artists are expressing themselves with spray paint outside, DJs will keep partygoers jumping inside.
 
ABC Eyewitness News
Graffiti artists put on controversial show
(9/02/06 - KTRK/HOUSTON) - Graffiti fans and critics are butting heads again, this time over a graffiti show in downtown.

Graffiti artists spray painted downtown businesses Friday night as part of an event called “Keep Houston Dirty.” The painters say their work decorates buildings. But a Houston city council member calls it a menace that should not be celebrated in the city.
 
“There is no place… You are not welcome if you’re a graffiti artist and you’re putting your vandalism on the buildings in our city,” said Houston city councilmember Michael Berry. “There is no place for that. You are not welcome.”