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Leake Street Arches (Waterloo Graffiti Tunnel)

A 300-metre road tunnel beneath Waterloo station that operates as one of London's few legal street art zones, its walls repainted daily.

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Leake Street Arches (Waterloo Graffiti Tunnel), a 300-metre road tunnel
Photo: DanielMichaelPerry, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Did you know

The tunnel became a legal graffiti site in 2008 after artist Banksy used it to host his Cans Festival, a street art show that invited artists to paint over each other's work throughout the event, and the free-for-all painting policy has continued ever since.

Local tip

Go during the day for good lighting to photograph the murals, since the tunnel has no dedicated lighting at night, and expect the artwork to look completely different on a repeat visit, as it's painted over constantly.

Finding it

Address
Leake Street, South Bank, Waterloo, London Borough of Lambeth, Greater London, England, SE1 7NN
Nearest station
Waterloo (Tube), 262 m away

Details change, so check with the place before you set off.

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