Updated August 2026: I’ve checked over every piece below and swapped out anything that’s since disappeared.
Brick Lane and Shoreditch have some of the best street art in London, and I’m lucky enough to live close enough to see new pieces almost as soon as they appear. Here’s the self-guided walk I do myself, covering my favourite finds.
Planning Your Walk
Shoreditch High Street Station (overground) and London Liverpool Street Station (mainline) are also a short walk from this route.
For step-by-step directions and to send the map to your phone, click here or on the image itself.
Guided or Self-Guided?
If you’d rather join a guided walk, I recommend this one operated by London With A Local. James, our guide, was full of knowledge and enthusiasm, and I learned a lot about London street art from him.
These tours work on a tip basis, so you pay what you think it’s worth. I handed over £20, but anything from £5 to £25 is fair.
A self-guided walk gives you flexibility to go at your own pace, and it’s free.
Street art here changes constantly. Hoardings come down, buildings are redeveloped and artists move on, so I can’t promise you’ll find every piece below when you visit.
Where you find great street art doesn’t change as quickly. This is why I have focused largely on streets rather than individual artworks (with notable exceptions).
Shoreditch and Brick Lane Street Art Self-Guided Walking Tour
Rivington Street
I love Dan Kitchener‘s vibrant city street scenes, and there’s a wonderful example in the doorway of 65 Rivington Street.
In the courtyard of the former Cargo venue at 83 Rivington Street are works by Banksy, the world’s most famous street artist.
Painted in 2003, Guard Dog depicts a policeman and a poodle patrolling the designated street art area. HMV, or Rocket Dog, is another one of his, and is at the far end of the same wall.
Take time to look at the other works here, especially the mural of Schroeder from Peanuts, who has replaced his customary piano with a typewriter. This is by Los-Angeles based artist, WRDSMITH, known for his image of a vintage typewriter and inspirational text.
When I last visited, there was a mural by Otto Schade, the renowned Chilean street artist. Just look at the detail on those lashes and the reflection of London in the eye.
King John’s Court & New Inn Yard
Stretching across King John’s Court and New Inn Yard, Connectivity Matters was created by sixteen artists from across the globe in 2018. It is one of the world’s largest murals.
If you are a fan of the Bard of Avon, you’re in for a treat. Shakespeare lived in Shoreditch and built his first theatre – simply called “The Theatre” – here. This was where Romeo & Juliet was performed for the first time.
At the end of New Inn Yard, there’s a free wall, where artists can express themselves without prior consent. Slightly scruffy areas like this can be an artistic treasure trove.
Redchurch Street
Local artist David Speed is known for his neon signature style. You’ll find more examples of his work across London.
Whitby Street
The Lady of Whitby was created by Jimmy C using his signature dot and drip effect, a bit like pointillism. I love the ambiguity of her expression. Is she hopeful or wistful?
Around Brick Lane
Once rubbish-strewn and rodent-infested, today’s Brick Lane is booming with chic cafes, curry houses, vintage clothes shops and cutting-edge art galleries. It is one of London’s most famous streets and the epicentre of the city’s urban art scene.
Although there are a few cracking pieces along Brick Lane itself, most of the area’s best street art is on its side streets.
If you are feeling peckish, take a slight detour by turning left on Brick Lane to reach the 24-hour bagel shops at this end of the street (my favourite is Beigel Bake). They’re a legacy of the Jewish community that settled here in the late 19th century, and they sell perhaps the cheapest lunch in London.
It’s worth stopping at Bacon Street on your way to the bagel shop. When I last visited, it had murals by Benzi Brofman, known for creating realistic portraits in black and white with touches of color.
Otherwise, turn right and walk along Brick Lane. Banksy’s mural of three monkeys swinging on the railway bridge was removed in December 2024 by contractors working for Transport for London (TfL). If you look carefully, you can just about make out their outlines.
Continue for three or four minutes and then turn left into Grimsby Street, home to Screamers by Stik. Using his signature stick people – each urban artist has their “thing” – it depicts a street argument in full flow.
I also love the mural on the same street by New York City-based Cernesto, famous for his vibrant colours and “upside-down elephant” characters.
Double back to Brick Lane and continue until you reach Hanbury Street, which crosses it. Once associated with the murders of Jack the Ripper, it’s now one of the top spots for street art in Brick Lane.
Turn left onto Hanbury Street to see the well-known Pelican mural by ROA, which has been there since 2010.
Although I was disappointed to see that the painting of a man setting light to his hair by Senor X is no longer there, this piece by the Brazilian artist Cranio made up for the loss.
If you turn right onto Hanbury Street from Brick Lane, you’ll spot a mural by American artist Shepard Fairey, better known as Obey. He’s one of the most influential street artist of his generation, and has painted around half a dozen murals in London, most of them in the Shoreditch area.
Continuing along Brick Lane, you can’t miss the massive mural of Audrey Hepburn covering the facade of a building above the Brick Lane Brasserie. London-based French artist Zabou painted her in 2020, holding a hybrid variety of white tulips named after her.
Princelet Street is the next street crossing Brick Lane. At number 28, there’s a painting of a couple holding hands (it can be tricky to see if the doors are open). This was painted in 2010 by Stik.
Just past Brick Lane mosque, there’s an alleyway on your right leading to Seven Stars Yard. It’s one of the top spots for street art in the area, with a high turnover of work and a riot of colour and styles. Take this mural by My Pen Leaks, for example, who combines playful cartoon characters commentary on modern life:
Fashion Street is the next road on your right. Once home to some of London’s worst slums, it connects Brick Lane and Commercial Street.
A Final Note
Don’t be afraid to explore the surrounding streets too. There’s more art than I could fit into one guide, and it’s often just as good as anything listed here.
These pieces won’t all still be there by the time you visit, and that’s part of the fun of Brick Lane street art. It’s always changing, much like the scenes I’ve tracked down everywhere from Màlaga’s murals to Penang’s urban art.
If you’ve enjoyed this guide, check out my Camden Town street art tour. And did you know that exploring urban art is one of the fun things to do in Walthamstow?
Have a great walk, and let me know what you find in the comments .
About Bridget
Bridget Coleman is a Londoner who has been a passionate traveller for more than 30 years. She has visited 70+ countries, most as a solo traveller.
Articles on this site reflect her first-hand experiences.
To get in touch, email her at hello@theflashpacker.net or follow her on social media.