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Leicester has quickly become one of the very best places in the UK to see amazing street art, and after the 2022 Bring the Paint Festival, held back in May, it’s even better.
Leicester has long been a great place to see amazing art of all kinds, but when most people talk about Street Art they think of Banksy and Bristol. The Bring the Paint festival 2022 was one of the biggest street art events in the UK this year! The City Council have also made sure that there are spaces and areas for talented artists to leave their mark and brighten up our surroundings.
The Cultural Quarter
The centre of creativity in Leicester, the Cultural Quarter is the area around the Curve theatre, and is also the place to see some of Leicester’s finest street art. Two huge pieces by Australian artist Smug are the highlights here, they can be found in the car park on Yeoman Street and on the LCB Depot.
Inside the LCB Depot’s courtyard are two other fantastic pieces, a superhero cityscape by WON ABC and a large wall that was developed over the last two Bring the Paint Festivals (this is at the top of the page!). Take a walk past Curve Theatre and you can see a beautiful piece inspired by and paying tribute to Leicester’s creative industries at Maker’s Yard.
Around Phoenix
The Phoenix independent cinema has a huge amount of fantastic art surrounding it, from the blue wave walls of the Soundhouse live music venue to the more traditional graffiti style pieces all around the walls and disused buildings. And when you head back towards the train station, you can see a stunning magpie with needle and thread covering the side of a former hosiery building, designed by Slovakian artist Ruelo.
Sporting streets
Murals and artwork adorn the inside of Leicester City’s King Power Stadium, but tributes to the city’s sporting successes go much further than this! On the side of Newarke Houses Museum you can find a tribute to the club’s Thai owners, and just round the corner is a Jamie Vardy/Kasabian mash up! At the top of Tudor Road you can see a tribute to the club’s diverse fanbase and on Walnut Street, there’s another incredible piece by Smug commemorating the Foxes’ recent FA Cup win!
The Tigers are not to be left out though! Right on the wall of the stadium is a stylistic Tiger artwork and the most successful rugby club in history have their history commemorated on the wall opposite their Welford Road stadium, with players including Martin Johnson and Manu Tuilagi plus bollards in the club colours!
Street art by the riverside
All the way along the River Soar there are some incredible pieces of artwork which tell the story of our amazing waterways. Start by Aylestone Meadows where some of our favourite local wildlife is depicted in an amazing mural at the entrance to the car park. Walk up the river towards castle gardens for some new artwork showing you the way around.
Then if you continue along towards Abbey Park, you can find Street Art’s Leicester Mecca at Graffwerks HQ. It’s the place to come for street art supplies and inspiration, and Bitsys Cupcakery offers some incredible creations to refuel while you check out the amazing artworks around the nearby warehouses. Keep heading along the river to Abbey Park and there are some more great pieces of art, including a tribute to Leicester Riders on the Morningside Arena, boating images at Lime Kiln Lock and more wayfinding artwork.
Check out the canal trail here at the Canal and River Trust website!
Local highlights
There’s plenty more street art in Leicester, some off the beaten track! A giant wall at Caterpillar Park next to Aylestone Leisure Centre showcases locations that are important to local artists and an evolution of different styles of street art. It’s right across the road from a legal painting site where local street artists can try out their skills. And around our inner ring road, the underpass has been brightened up with the addition of beautiful designs on the supports.
And it’s great when art finds its way into our communities. On Melton Road you can see a huge tribute to the Indian community as you head up the Golden Mile. And in the neighbourhood of Clarendon Park, the owners of Karma Corner Giftshop have brightened up the walls of their shop just off Queen's Road with some beautiful floral designs!
An amazing new highlight
Following the 2022 Bring The Paint Festival, one of the most ambitious pieces of Street Art ever attempted was created in Leicester. Taking over the side of one of our tallest buildings, this huge piece was created by three local artists with support from BID Leicester and is now one of the tallest artworks in the world!
And don’t forget to pop by the Visit Leicester Information Desk in the King Richard III Visitor Centre where you can pick up a guide to Street Art in Leicester for just £3.50!
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Proud to be from Leicester.