When looking up Leake Street on a map, the area between Lambeth and Waterloo looks like your regular South London neighbourhood. What the map doesn’t fully tell you is that firstly, it’s actually a tunnel, and secondly, Leake Street is the biggest authorised graffiti space in London. Hosting regular exhibitions and a constant change of scenery (anyone with a slight idea of how to spray is welcome) and a rather random car wash, it can be a very colourful and dark source of inspiration.
The tunnel is also called Banksy Tunnel as it was found by the man himself in 2008 after a festival. Don’t you think it’s fascinating how street art transforms an area and coins the otherwise rather down-to-earth area around Waterloo!? I hope there’ll be more outdoor art space in London soon – Berlin and Amsterdam and are still way ahead…