The street art world has undergone a massive shift in the past few years, with famous figures like Banksy and Shepard Fairey elevating the medium to mainstream consciousness. What was once a clandestine act of art vandalism is now, more often, a celebrated form of public art, popping up in major metropolises across the globe. “Street art and graffiti is ephemeral, transitory, a moment in time,” the experts at Brooklyn Street Art assert, emphasizing the contemporary allure of graffiti and street art.
With summer upon us, and months of travel opportunities on the horizon, we’ve put together a guide of the top cities around the world that prove street art is indeed a thing to be celebrated. From Brazil to France to the United States, these urban centers play home to works by street art stars like Nunca, Blu and the late P183. So if you’re in the mood for a cross-continental trip, these are the 26 cities you need to add to your travel bucket list now.
New York City, U.S.A.
Lodz, Poland
Valparaiso, Chile
Mexico City, Mexico
Prague, Czech Republic
London, United Kingdom
São Paulo, Brazil
Melbourne, Australia
Paris, France
Berlin, Germany
Cape Town, South Africa
Moscow, Russia
Bethlehem, West Bank
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Istanbul, Turkey
Bogotá , Colombia
Bristol, United Kingdom
Santiago, Chile
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Lisbon, Portugal
As more and more major cities around the world receive positive attention for the underground art decorating their streets, perhaps those cities’ governments will start to rethink the laws they’ve put in place to stifle street artists’ opportunities.