The 5 Best Streets to See Street Art

Once confined to just a handful of places, street art is commonplace in pretty much every city around the world now. Some cities have become more tolerant of artful graffiti adorning their buildings; others have turned over passageways to artists or even constructed walls primed for adornment.

Here are some of the best streets to see street art.

1. Rivington Street, London: The most famous street artist in the world, Banksy, has satirical art on the walls of this street in the Shoreditch neighborhood. Other noted street artists here include Thierry Noir and David Walker. In total, there are nearly two dozen different pieces to see within a five-minute walk.

2. Haji Lane, Singapore: The buildings along this pedestrian-only alley in the chi-chi Kampong Glam district are painted hues straight out of a Crayola box, and some sections are adorned with murals. Haji Lane is filled with gourmet burger shops, bakeries and clothing boutiques.

3. U Street, Washington D.C.: The large murals along a street that was once the epicenter of D.C. culture make political statements, pay homage to the city’s famous musicians and celebrate the history of Washington the city (not Washington the nation’s capital).

4. Graffiti Alley, Toronto: Also called Rush Lane, this kilometer-long alley between Spaldina Avenue and Portland Street is filled from street to sky with graffiti. The pieces are regularly painted over to allow for fresh art.

5. The streets surrounding Hongik University in Seoul, South Korea: Students from the arts school at Hongik University first started painting the walls, shutters and buildings around the campus. The art has become so popular that a festival happens every year to celebrate it, with freestanding blank concrete walls erected so artists can decorate them. One of the most art-filled spots is an unnamed alley just to the right of the main university building.