BEST OF BANKSY & SHOREDITCH STREET ART – LONDON – 6K

London has a vast amount of street art but the trend setting Shoreditch, where the majority of our tour takes place, is synonymous with some of the most elaborate artwork from artists who travel from all over the world to show off their skills or share their message. The elusive and provocative Banksy, was pivotal in creating this movement and his groundbreaking stencils and thought provoking work in the early 2000’s, brought global attention to Shoreditch and to street art as a legitimate form of artistic and political expression. Along the route we will also see pieces by other established artists such as Stik, ROA and Shepard Fairy as well as a plethora of other unknown contributors, trying to make their mark in this constantly changing open air gallery.

The tour features Banksy work from as early as 2003, with the pioneering piece, Designated Graffiti Area, situated in the courtyard of the former Cargo nightclub, right up to the summer of 2024 with two works from Banksy’s Animals series, including Piranhas located at the prestigious 15th century Guildhall and Monkeys situated in Brick Lane, the heart of East London and the vibrant street art scene, it’s a diverse melting pot of vintage fashion boutiques, authentic curry houses it has become a mecca for artists, hippies, bohemians and yuppies alike.

We take refuge from the busy city streets via the Highwalks and visit the iconic brutalist Barbican, finished in raw concrete, a place that is normally very keen to clean any graffiti from its walls, where not one but two pieces pay homage to legendary street artist Jean-Michel Basquiat in response to an upcoming exhibition of the famed New York street artists work in 2017.

The route takes us to a controversial 23 storey hotel, the site of a former exhibition space and two Banksy pieces hidden away for most of their 20 year history, In 2010 Hackney Council made the preservation of the TV and the Big Rat, a condition of the planning consent for the demolition of the existing building and its replacement by the hotel.

Perfect for runners of all levels, this tour offers a unique blend of art and running and is not to be missed!

PICK-UP SERVICE

Pick-up service from your hotel/apartment or another meeting point is possible and will be checked by the tour provider individually. If your hotel/apartment should be too far away from the city centre or not close to the tour route, then we will meet you at our standard meeting point.

MEETING DETAILS

The tour provider will get in contact with you to provide you with more detailed information after the tour was booked. Please, bring along your mobile phone in case we need to contact each other.

WHAT IS INCLUDED?

• Private guide/tour
• Individual pace
• Digital photos
• Tour route
• Pick-up service
• Water