The Grafitti Tunnel – A hidden playground for street artists

With 300 metres of concrete legally dedicated to graffiti, the Graffiti Tunnel is a playground for street artists and a must-see for street art-lovers

Leake Street Tunnel, also known as the ‘Graffiti Tunnel’ is an authorised graffiti area located below the platforms of Waterloo station. It is enclosed and cut off from the main streets creating a unique and intimate ambience for both street artists and visitors.

“The tunnel is a really nice place with lots of different styles of street art. I like doing street art here, because it is easy accessible and always available,” street artist Charlie told me, when I met him working on a piece of street art.

Banksy's legacy

The 300 metre long graffiti tunnel was initially created during the ’Cans Festival', lead by the renowned graffiti-artist Banksy in May 2008. Banksy wanted to “transform a dark forgotten filth pit into an oasis of beautiful art’, he then told the Times of London.

Today however, the artworks by Banksy himself have been covered under new layers of spray paint. Indeed, the graffiti-pieces in Leake Street Tunnel change every week, and the artwork is constantly being painted over and replaced.

This means that every time you visit the tunnel, there are new pieces of art to watch. It also means that it is an ideal place for street artists to practise their work.

A good place to practise

"It is a good place if you want to practise and take a photo of your work, but if you want your piece to stay on the walls, this is not the place. It is gone in less than a week," Mark, a hobby street artist with 20 years of experience told me, when I met him in the tunnel.

So, if you are into street art, the Leake Street Tunnel is definitely a must-see. And no matter how many times you visit, the experience is always changing.