The Leake Street Arches Graffiti Tunnel is packed full of street art and graffiti. It’s a place where you can just go and paint, completely legally. It’s also one of our ‘Best Places to see Street Art in London‘. The quality here can be mixed but over the Christmas period there have been some beauties. The results of a number of impromptu paint jams.
It’s a place which has changed a bit over the years. It first claimed it’s ‘graffiti tunnel’ status in 2008 when Banksy hosted his CANS festival here. Since then it’s become a regular haunt for artists from inside and outside of London. The Leake Street Tunnel, underneath Waterloo station has evolved from dreary underpass, to outdoor gallery.
We’ve featured the art here many times before. Sometimes it’s the sort of place to just wander down. Exploring without any expectations of what you might come across. Work by more established artists will nestle next to pieces from those just starting out. Don’t expect it to stay long though. Street art in the Leake Street Arches is notoriously fickle. There is no standing on ceremony, if someone wants to paint in your spot, then that’s what they’ll do.
Leake Street Arches Street Art Gallery
So to see what’s been going on in the Leake Street Arches over the Christmas period, here’s a selection. Just in time too. Given what’s gone on this year it’s actually only the second time that Inspiring City has been able to visit in 2020. Work shown is from multiple artists including some highlights from recent collective outings featuring the Ghost Writers and the Wom Collective crews.
BLM ‘I Can’t Breathe’ mural
The Murals in the Leake Street Arches were visited on 26 December 2020 and all the photographs used in this post were taken then.
Awesome pieces ✌️