London is one of the world’s best places to see thought-provoking, creative & cool street art. Tourists & locals can embark on one of the trendiest exhibitions of a lifetime all for free on their very doorstep! From alleyways, erected buildings to even wheelie bins, famous London artists such as Banksy & Ben Eine, have all made it their canvas, brightening the streets of London. The richness of London’s street art is not to be ignored. With more & more people wanting to explore it for themselves, our comprehensive guide will let you in on all the top 10 places to see the best London street art.
1. Camden
Address: Camden High St, Camden Town, London NW1 7BT
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Camden is one of the most popular places for students to live in London. An area famed for its contribution to fashion, music, and art, over a quarter of a million people heads down to Camden Town to enjoy the culturally infused area. One aspect that lures people time & time again, is the area’s vibrant street art. The speed with which these art pieces rotate is remarkably impressive and calls for an exciting promenade each time you visit. As you leave Camden Town Station and walk towards Camden Market, a minute’s walk away to Buck Head Pub, you’ll come across a vibrant graffiti mural created by the street art company, AeroArts. As a community workshop, the company delivers amazing graffiti art projects & offers educational workshops for those that want to decorate, inspire & inform. Check out this highly instagrammable piece today!
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2. Shoreditch, Rivington Street
Address: Rivington St, London EC2A 3AY
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Shoreditch is the epicentre of the finest street art displays and it’s home to some iconic pieces that are close to many people’s hearts. One of them being from the infamous Banksy. Located on Rivington Street, with many other surrounding street art pieces, you’ll find Banksy’s ‘Designated Graffiti Area’ within a cargo beer Garden dating back to 2003. Due to his mark in the area, Rivington Street has been the mecca for many other street art artists to showcase their work alongside Banksy’s piece.
3. Brick Lane
Address: Brick Ln, Spitalfields, London E1 6QR
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An excellent location that’s known for its turnover of street art is Brick Lane! With a great reputation under its belt, the area has commissioned over 800 legal murals, leaving visitors spoilt for choice. Brick Lane is home to Banksy’s 2008 French Maid, however, there are tons of new pieces for all to enjoy daily. One of them is by the British Street Art Artist, Carleen De Sözer. Known for her vibrant murals, her work is described as Afrofuturism. A signature house style that is recognizable by many. This piece can be located at Seven Stars car park, Brick Lane.
4. Brixton
Address: 463 A23, London SW9 8BN
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Just over the road from Brixton Station onto Brixton Road, the street is home to David Bowie’s iconic orange mural that’s become a major staple piece within the area since 2013 when it was first created. Created by Jimmy C, it depicts the late icon’s portrait gracing the cover of his 1973 album Aladdin Sane, and the location was specifically chosen given the singer’s long Brixton residency. The death of Bowie in 2016, gave the mural a memorial status, and it has even been covered in a protective façade in order to preserve its work.
5. Leak Street Tunnel
Address: Leake St, Bishop’s, London SE1 7NN
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The legal graffiti tunnel at Leake Street has been a popular spot since Banksy’s CANS street art festival in 2008. Tucked away underneath Waterloo station, you’ll expect to find an ever-changing array of colourful graffiti murals within 300 meters of the tunnel. With Leake Street Tunnel being a legal place to spray paint, it’s extremely popular among creatives. However, its popularity also means that most works are short-lived, offering a different & unique art experience with each visit.
6. The Fourth Plinth, Trafalgar Square
Address: Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5NJ
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One of the most imaginative street art installations you can come across is housed at the Fourth Plinth, in Trafalgar Square. The other three plinths are graced with historic figures, however, the fourth plinth remained empty for over a century and a half due to a lack of funding. Until 1999 when one of the most imaginative uses of the plinth was put into effect. Temporary commissions began and various artists flocked to decorate the empty space with innovative works! The latest of these is Heather Phillipson’s ‘THE END’, which shows a cherry on cream and, on top of the cherry and cream you see two parasites. A must-see if you ever visit Trafalgar Square.
7. Dalston
Address: Dalston Ln, Dalston, London E8 3DE
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Here in Dalston, you can find the most creative street art pieces without being surrounded by other tourists. A popular piece that has been a staple within the area is The Hackney Peace Carnival mural created by Hackney-based artists Mick Jones & Ray Walker in 1985. One of the most classic London murals to date. It is located at 3 Dalston Lane & depicts carnival-goers marching for peace against ‘The Bomb’, or nuclear warfare. It was renovated and returned to its former glory in 2014.
8. Hackney Wick
Address: Hackney Bridge, Units 1-28, ECHO BUILDING, E Bay Ln, E15 2SJ
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You can find some of the best London murals in Hackney Wick. Busk, an artist from the area unveiled a mural during the London Mural Festival in September 2020. It was a tribute to the area’s industrial past as well as its modern-day growth. It depicts an artist holding a paintbrush in front of Busk’s classic graffiti lettering, a house style that he’s highly known for.
9. Dulwich Outdoor Gallery
Address: Post Office, 84 Dulwich Village, London SE21 7AJ
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Street artists from all over come to Dulwich Outdoor Gallery to draw inspiration from 17th & 18th-century baroque artists from the permanent collection at Dulwich Picture Gallery. From these inspirations, street artists recreate these pieces, adding their signature house style and making them their own. Mixing classical art with urban street art, in 2012 local street artist, Stik met Ingrid Beazley, a teacher at Dulwich Picture Gallery who both believed that it was necessary to increase awareness & popularity of both art periods for the older & younger age demographic. Since then, local residents have been watching local street artists recreate these classical paintings giving positive reviews for their innovation.
10. Hackney Road, Bethnal Green
Address: Bethnal Green Rd, London E2 0AH
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Neighbouring Shoreditch, Bethnal Green has an amazing range of street art for all to discover & explore. With frequent tour groups, it’s one of the most popular locations in East London. Calling all cat lovers! If you walk from the direction of Hackney Road towards Bethnal Green Road, you will spot a multi-coloured winking feline on the side of a converted railway arch in Clare Street. This piece was created by the street art artist Irony.
