The Writing on the Walls

Graffiti, whether you’re a fan of it or not, is an undeniable staple of city life and London, with its winding streets and hidden archways, has some of the finest graffiti by some of the best graffiti artists in the world. Traditionally, East London has been seen as the hub of this grand old tradition, with Hackney boasting prominent work by Banksy, Stik, Blek the Rat, Invader and many many more. However, all across the city you'll find pockets of space and time dedicated to celebrating this controversial art form. So if you’re visiting London looking for a chance to write yourself into this urban art story (or you just want to see if you can catch a glimpse of the next Banksy) read on for three ways to take in some of London's hidden gems.

Leake Street

Underneath the platforms of Waterloo station, next to the House of Vans store and skate park, is London’s most famous legal graffiti site. Nicknamed “Graffiti Tunnel” - or sometimes “Banksy Tunnel” in honour of the 2008 “Cans Festival” that the artist hosted - it is now one of the biggest legal graffiti areas of the city.

It's a testament to the vibrancy and diversity of street art that what could appear like another set of railway tunnels to the oblivious London visitor, it is instead home to a vibrant array of art. You can expect, day or night, to see new artists coming in to add their work, and if you want to make your own mark, go right ahead! As you might expect, the layout of the wall changes daily, so if you're looking to revisit London, this should definitely be a place you come back to!

GraffitiStreet Underground Festival

If you're driven by the pursuit of the new, then GraffitiStreet's annual Underground festival is a ‘must visit’ event. Now three years old, it is held in a different location each year around the city - usually announced the week of the Festival. Before and during the exhibition, you can see artists in action around the city, honing their craft.

The city hosts regular ‘graffiti fests’ such as GraffiStreet Underground Festival. The event itself showcased the work of international artists in a gallery setting, with Underground 2016 and took place at Hoxton Arches where 13 international artists displayed their varied work, and provided demonstrations outside, under the watchful eye of graffiti by Stik and Sweet Toof.

Graffik Gallery Graffiti Workshops

If your tastes run a little more to the do rather than view, make your way westwards to Notting Hill where, on the famous Portobello Road, you'll find the Graffik Gallery. Not only is this one of the few galleries in the city where you can invest in original works by up and coming artists as well as more established ones, but on Saturdays and Sundays, they play host to the first graffiti workshops ever hosted in the city. Here is where you can don fetching blue overalls and pick up a spray can, as a roster of prominent street artists teach you all about creating your own stencil work.

Each session runs for two hours and needs to be booked in advance, but you'll walk away with your own A4 canvas, inspired by the uniquely London location. If you're still in the mood to check out some graffiti, the gallery has an amazing collection of art for sale, while back out on Portobello road you can see work by Dotmasters, Endless and Banksy.

Taking part in any of these activities, aside from being excellent ways to spend time, also help you get another tool with which to uncover London. Across the city, every day, new pieces of art are going up just as others are being taken down. So take your newfound knowledge and allow yourself the opportunity to explore London in a whole new way.