There are some great galleries in London. Indeed we enjoy going to as many as we can in order to see some of the best art around. Those galleries that showcase new and emerging artists are vital to the street art scene. They keep the urban art movement going and they are a huge support to new artists.
In this post we’ve picked out our top go-to galleries for fresh urban artwork. Because of our own East London location there’s a bit of a bias towards this neck of the woods. But then that is where some of the best urban art in the country can be found so I suppose that’s just about right.
So here they are, the best galleries to see street and urban art in London…
Atom Gallery – atomgallery.co.uk
The Atom Gallery in Stoke Newington combines a gallery space with framing and screenprinting. Working closely with the artists they are becoming ever more known for their unique print releases. Choosing carefully the artists they want to work with, they also host a number of solo exhibitions. Really focusing on street and urban art. This gallery is a great place to catch some bargains and discover emerging talent.
Ben Oakley Gallery, Greenwich – benoakleygallery.com
Another great street art gallery we just keep going back to. The Ben Oakley is a big favourite of ours. Indeed we’ve featured many of the artists on the gallery’s roster including the work of Ben Oakley himself. Nestled in a tiny street off Greenwich Market, the gallery has an earthy authentic feel. It also has a loyal group of artists who work with it. No doubt inspired by Ben himself who builds great relationships. He will often hand over the curation process to the artists themselves. This is so they can have as much creative control as possible. Also here’s a secret! If you do visit then ask to see the first floor, it’s an Aladdin’s cave full of great art.
BSMT Space, Dalston – bsmt.co.uk
The BSMT Space gallery in Dalston has really shaken up the urban art scene. Lara and Greg built a gallery which became known for being able to spot up and coming street art talent. It’s also earned a stellar reputation in the street art scene for its promotion of artists. Particularly new ones. and its willingness to give these new and emerging artists a try. The gallery specialises in solo and group shows. It doesn’t have a permanent collection so there is always something fresh and exciting about the work coming up.
Jealous Gallery, Shoreditch – jealousgallery.com
An icon of the Shoreditch urban art scene. The Jealous Gallery features work from multiple artists and is best known for it’s screenprints. Indeed the space boasts a screen printers upstairs. Ask nicely and they might even let you see it. The roof of the Jealous Gallery has also hosted a number of street artists. Many having painted their over the years. The gallery tends to have a good blend of newer and more established artists on sale.
Pure Evil Gallery, Shoreditch – pureevilclothing.com
An icon of the gallery scene in the East End. The Pure Evil on Leonard Street promotes heavily the work of Pure Evil himself. He is an iconic artist who has worked on the streets of Shoreditch for many years. In addition to his own work however, the gallery showcases street and urban artists from around the world. Though these do tend to be already established on the scene. The gallery is more traditional in that the work does change but there is a core permanent collection of art.
Stolen Space, Brick Lane – stolenspace.com
A list like this can never be complete without Stolen Space. The gallery owned by D*Face, himself, a hugely popular street artist. The gallery tends to feature some of the very best street and urban artists from across the world. It can’t be denied that here is a gallery with a constantly strong body of work. However that comes an equally high price point. Despite this, the work is always top draw. It’s always worth wandering into the Stolen Space gallery if you are passing along Brick Lane.
Well Hung Gallery, Hoxton Street – wellhung.co.uk
An ambitious little gallery, the Well Hung in Hoxton has burst onto the scene over the past few years. Run by a brother and sister team, it’s another space who seem to be focusing on local talent. They certainly seem prepared to take risks. Devoting the space for good periods of time to quality solo and group exhibitions. The space also contains a framers in the basement.
For more features about the best place to see street art in London check out:
Very good selection there.. Only one of those (Ben Oakley Gallery) I have not been visited.
it’s great Mitch, one of my favourites I need to get down there myself, I haven’t visited all year