FAQ – Positive sticker activism

Got a question? Perhaps you can find your answer here.

How can I help to spread the Space Utopian brainwave?

There are many ways to lend a helping hand. Here are a few that we could think of on the spot:

Social media: follow Space Utopian on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, WordPress, and Ko-fi. Subsequently, like and share the content that resonates with you.
Be creative: snap photos or make videos of stickers you see in the street. Then, post your creative perspective on your social media profile and tag Space Utopian. You can also send us a copy of your footage, and with your approval, we will post it on our profile and tag you in the post.
Become a Space Utopian: try to get a hold of some Space Utopian stickers and spread the idea by slapping some of them in your hometown or wherever you may roam. However, given that the stickers are difficult to remove, We advise against sticking them on private property without the owner’s approval.

How can I get a hold of your stickers?

There are different ways to get a hold of our stickers. Here are some of the options:

ETSY: when you have the financial means to buy slap tags, you can visit the Space Utopian store on Etsy. Every purchase directly funds this website and the design and creation of new stickers.
Ko-Fi: if you live on a shoestring budget, you can donate via the Space Utopian page on Ko-Fi. After that, send us a quick message (Usually, we’re not that hard to reach) to let us know which sticker you would like to receive. Even if you don’t want or need any stickers, you can always leave us a tip and support this interactive sticker art project. See it as a digital way to tip a street artist, similar to how you would tip a busker performing on the streets where you roam.
Bartering: this might make some people scratch their heads, but we don’t mind exchanging stickers for other goods or services without using money. So, we could swap something. Space Utopian stickers have been traded for other stickers, miniature works of art, meals, etc. There’s no need to be shy. Feel free to drop a good suggestion in our inbox, and we’ll figure something out.
Giveaways: if none of the options above tickle your fancy or fit within your budget, you could still try your luck whenever we organize a giveaway. Usually, we do so a few times a year, and our preferred channel to spread the word is IG. So if you follow us, just keep an eye out for that chance to acquire some freebies.

Yes, we genuinely believe that most people, deep down, are pretty damn decent. We wouldn’t call ourselves Space Utopians if we didn’t think that to be true. Therefore, we trust that our followers will be sincere whenever they send us a request to get a hold of some stickers. To make things clear, Space Utopian is a non-profit activist collective. Hence, all donations and contributions go towards creating new qualitative, interactive, and thought-provoking stickers and shipping costs. For informational purposes, we’d like to add that the postal services are costly where Space Utopian is located. Hence, depending on where you live, the prices for traceable shipments are between 3,00 – 10,00 EUR.

More love letters, please! Sticker in the streets of Trieste, 2022 © by @Space_Utopian (Trieste, Italy).

How do I apply your stickers?

It depends on how and where you will use them. So, suppose you use the Space Utopian stickers to decorate your mirror, car, laptop, or other worldly possessions. In that case, we advise wiping down the surface of your choice to eliminate any dirt and dust. But, of course, you cannot always prep the surface when applying the slaps in public places. Nevertheless, make sure to check that the surface is dry because the stickers don’t bond well to wet (and cold (< 5°C)) surfaces. So if it isn’t dry, we recommend using a tissue to wipe and dry off the area where you want to place your sticker.

Next, peel away the backing paper using your thumb and pointer finger to pry the paper from the sticker’s surface. Be careful because these eggshell stickers are fragile and rip easily once the backing paper is completely removed. Finally, hold the sticker with your thumb and pointer finger of each hand before applying it to the desired surface. Quick side note: arranging a sticker when holding it by the center portion is tricky (Feel free to check out this short tutorial video).

The last step is to press the custom eggshell sticker to ensure it sticks well. Then, depending on the surface, you can use a credit card, tissue, or thumb to press out any air bubbles or smoothen any surface imperfections. And just like that, BOOM, you’re done.

Where should I slap your stickers?

We believe in the freedom of choice. So we won’t tell you what to do or not do with the Space Utopian stickers you got your hands on. Nevertheless, we did design them to interact with people. So if you need some inspiration, you can check out our Instagram account. That said, for those willing to accept some of our tips, we have some suggestions that could serve as a guideline and help you get started:

#pushtoresettheworld: placing them on the buttons at pedestrian crossings is ideal. You can also put them on doors you need to push to open, public toilets, light switches, public telephones, parking meters, public transport, etc.
#morelovelettersplease: obviously, we prefer to slap them on public mailboxes. Other than that, to spark some controversy, we have also put them underneath offensive, racist posters and stickers. Of course, they could also work on different items, such as books in tiny libraries, a door on which people scribble messages with markers, a bench in the park, a laptop, etc.
#whyamInolongeratree: anything made from wood: handrails, utility poles, benches, doors, load-bearing beams, and so on. Quick side notes: the wood needs to be dry. If the wood isn’t painted or treated with a primer, the sticker might detach from the surface as soon as the wood absorbs water and starts to swell. Make sure you firmly press the sticker, so it bonds well with the organic surface.
#isyourheartokay, #youneedyou, #howareyouliving: these stickers are very versatile. You can slap them on a mirror, a pole in the streets that many people pass, underneath or in the center of a graffiti tag shaped like a heart, underneath racist stickers, or comments to balance out the universe, etc. We prefer slapping these stickers on visible places that allow people to reflect on the message, even if only for a split second. For example, locations where people like to leave their love locks or spots where people have to stand still for a while and wait, such as pedestrian crossings, mirrors in our favorite bars that condone this creative form of expression, and so on.
#stopthesuicideeconomy, #savetheplaneteatabillionaire: we try to address our society’s unsustainable consumer behavior and excessive systemic inequality with these slap tags. Hence, one of the spots we found to be ideal is on the side or top of waste bins. As well as any location with an elitist feel, such as a marina or charging station for TESLAs. Feel free to drop us a line if you have any other excellent suggestions.

Why am I no longer a tree? Sticker in the streets of Slovenia, 2022 © by @Space_Utopian (Slovenia).

Can I copy your sticker designs or use a photo of your sticker(s) for commercial purposes?

We feel humbled by the fact that people want to copy our ideas and designs or publish photos of our sticker art. It proves that our sticker stopped them in their tracks and did what it was designed to do. However, every artwork is copyrighted by the author and is seen as the author’s intellectual property (Yes, this also includes street art in public places). Therefore, we might get in touch with those who copy our ideas or publish our sticker bombs to work something out that suits all parties involved.

As we mentioned earlier, we genuinely believe that most people are decent. Hence we nourish the hope that those who benefit financially from our interactive street art will do the right thing and, in turn, support the Space Utopian project. We believe that the least another artist, blogger, or publisher could do is credit the original author/artist. Moral high ground, and a mutually beneficial collaborative spirit, are what society should strive for.

Sadly, some souls copy our interactive slaps without consulting us or publish photos in magazines, newspapers, and online blogs without crediting Space Utopian. But for now, these uncreative souls are a minority. Most people do the right thing, and that’s why we would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who did approach us with this question and proposed a solution on how we could proceed. We genuinely appreciate your honesty.

Can you send me a pdf of your sticker designs so I can print them myself?

We prefer to control the production of our slaps and stick to our design and materials. But that doesn’t mean we won’t hear you out. So, please contact us and pitch us your idea because we are always open to collaborating on projects that try to improve the societies we’ve collectively created for ourselves.

Why did you choose ultra-destructible vinyl?

We use ultra-destructible vinyl labels, which are commonly known as eggshell stickers. These stickers were primarily designed to discourage unauthorized product tampering. The stickers cannot be removed undamaged. Instead, they break into small pieces like an eggshell because they are so brittle.

That said, we wanted the Space Utopian slap tags to be hard to remove, durable, and weatherproof. The long-lasting screen printing also helps to prolong the message’s visibility. Therefore, we use kiss-cut eggshell stickers. In addition, making them tamper-proof extends the Space Utopian brainwave’s life expectancy.

An important side note for those who received some of our stickers, once you peel off the backing paper from these sticker bombs, you need to be careful not to rip them.

What made you move away from writing and shift toward sticker art?

Let’s start by saying that street art helps many souls take ownership of their lost voices. Some artists find power in painting large murals. Others feel inclined to tag buildings to express themselves.

As for us, we find strength in strategically placing our stickers in the streets, where we collectively roam, knowing they have the potential to inspire one soul who might trigger massive change. This probably sounds naive to many, but our odds of achieving this are better than winning the lottery (disclaimer: we didn’t do the math on this).

Man is not fully conditioned and determined but rather determines himself whether he gives in to conditions or stands up to them. In other words, man is ultimately self-determining. Man does not simply exist but always decides what his existence will be, what he will become in the next moment.
Viktor E. Frankl