As designer Mark Ecko's Getting Up Block Party prepares to showcase graffiti artists this coming week, NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg is blasting graffiti and denouncing its lack of artistry.

The event is set to feature ten 48-ft long by 8-ft high replicas of the legendary NYC transit blue-bird subway cars. Graf artists are scheduled to paint the cars. Renowned graffiti artists such as COPE2 and T-Kid are slated to take part in the event as well as other active NYC graf heads.

Recently, upon being asked about the forthcoming graffiti event, Bloomberg offered, "Look, there is a fine line here between freedom of expression and going out and encouraging people to hurt this city. Defacing subway cars is hardly a joke."

The mayor added, "Graffiti is just one of those things that destroys our quality of life, and why anybody thinks that it's funny or cute to encourage kids to go do that, I don't know. We have talked to them and asked them to not have a subway car motif to write graffiti. This is not really art or expression. This is - let's be honest about what it is - it's trying to encourage people to do something that's not in anybody's interest."

In July, NY's Community Assistance Unit issued a permit for the Block Party's main sponsor, Mark Ecko Enterprises. Ecko revealed that it has been planning the event since October 2004 by scouting artists, getting sponsorships for over 600 cans of spray paint and attending meetings with local police precinct and community boards. Yet, two days ago, the Community Assistance Unit sent Ecko Enterprises a letter officially revoking their permit. The letter reasoned that the permit was issued for an art exhibition event instead of a commercial event. Ecko has already reapplied for the permit and is presently negotiating with the city to come to a compromise.

Ecko's director of corporate communications, Clint Caldwell said the event will be "an art exhibition celebrating the history of Hip-Hop and in particular street art." Caldwell added that while most of the featured artists started out tagging New York City walls, their work has been displayed in museums and they're now employed by companies like Time Incorporated and Pepsi.

"We're not putting this event together to encourage kids to go out and tag the sides of cars or buildings," Caldwell told the New York Sun. "We're trying to showcase these 20 graffiti artists who are established artists now."

In addition to graffiti, the Getting Up Block Party is set to feature live DJs and surprise musical performance to commemorate the golden age of Hip-Hop. The Block Party coincides with the release of Atari's graffiti game Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure. All in attendance will get a chance to try out demos of the game.

"Graffiti is without question the most powerful art movement in recent history and has been a driving inspiration throughout my career," stated Marc Ecko, Getting Up's Executive Creative Director. "I'm honored to be bringing its pioneering creative forces together to look back on its tradition and to celebrate its future."

Marc Ecko's Getting Up Block Party is a free event scheduled to take place August 24^th in Manhattan on 22^nd street between 10^th and 11^th avenues. Gamestop, Truth, Toy Tokyo, Montana paint andMass Appeal magazine are among the event's sponsors.