The beauty of street art is how it can come into your day completely unexpectedly – you may be walking to work, running, or sat on a bus, alone or with friends, happy or sad, listening to music or in silence. But what if you want to actively seek it out? Here are a few tips for the avid street art hunter by the author of Lonely Planet Street Art, Ed Bartlett.
1. Follow artists
Once upon a time street art was created covertly, primarily for legal reasons. Today most artists post actively on social media, and many such as Herakut and Faith47 even have maps of their murals on their websites. Recent innovations such as Instagram Stories mean that you might even catch a snippet of works being installed. Anonymous French artist Invader is always worth keeping an eye on for this.
2. Visit a festival
A huge number of cities around the world now play host to regular street art festivals, featuring local and international artists painting designated walls across several days. These well-organized and programmed events offer a unique opportunity to mingle with other street art fans from around the world as well as a rare chance to watch the artists at work. Festival walls can sometimes stay in situ for years after the event, and most have detailed maps, so check it out online in advance of visiting a new city or even plan a visit specifically during an event.
3. Utilise social media
Besides following artists, festival organisers, street art blogs and photographers, social media is also great for locating specific street art through use of hash tags and geo-tagging. Platforms such as Instagram feature searchable hash tags, which will help you to find recent works through contextual use of the search function, and many images will also include location data to within a few metres.
4. Follow your nose
Often with street art, where you find one piece you will find many. Once you’ve used the above methods to track down some work, use your instincts (or perhaps ask a local) to try to find more. Remember that street art is quite often placed in relatively inaccessible areas or above street level, so keep your head up and your eyes peeled. And be sure to upload and tag what you find to help others on their journey.
Lonely Planet Street Art by Ed Bartlett £14.99