You’ve almost certainly spent a fair bit of time stood at traffic lights in the city centre, waiting for that weird siren noise that sounds like something from Doctor Who to tell you that it’s your turn to walk.

But have you noticed these individually decorated traffic light controllers?

All across town, these boxy looking things which (unless you work in traffic management) don’t seem to serve any purpose except take up valuable pavement space, are being turned into permanent art installations.

It’s all part of a project called Dublin Canvas, which began as a community project commissioned by Dublin City Council back in 2013, has already transformed 150 installations, and is now in the process of converting another 150.



The project states that its mission is purely “to add colour to the city”, and what better place than Dublin? This city has some seriously good street art.

Only in Dublin could you find an internet cafe plastered in graffiti next to a red brick solicitor’s office, or a bike rack covered in spray painted poetry.

The Dublin Canvas website is being upgraded at the moment, but the project will continue over the course of the year, so keep your eyes peeled, and you might even see some of these art pieces in the making!