On the trail of the best Brighton street art

Vibrant art or vandalism? Free expression or just depressing? Whatever your view, street art and graffiti is part of modern city life. The best of Brighton street art is random, raw and fun.

We love seeking out murals when we’re on our travels.
The thrill of finding a Banksy in the wild or spotting local talent using blank walls to express themselves.

It’s disappointing when you find a great piece of work obscured by less-than-creative graffiti, and we found the Lennon Wall in Prague surprisingly underwhelming, for all its fame.

But there’s usually something creative, wild and free, wherever you go.

Famous Brighton street art

The Prince Albert on Trafalgar Street, just down from the city’s main railway station, is the best known and draws plenty of admiring looks and photographers.

The pub’s fabulous mural takes up the side of the whole building, paying tribute to iconic musicians of the 20th century. A collaborative project, it’s kept fresh by a pool of local talent.

And Brighton has a Banksy there – sort of.

The pub is the original location for the Kissing Coppers stencil, unveiled in 2004 and still regarded as one of Banksy’s most notable works.

Sadly it was badly damaged several times, so was removed, transferred to canvas, and later sold at auction in Miami.

A replica was installed on the side of the pub in 2008, now covered in perspex to protect it.

As you wander, keep an eye out for the famous street artists active in Brighton including Sprite, Minty, Snub, Req, and The Postman.

Best places to find Brighton street art

We’ve deliberately stopped short of giving you a street art route to follow because:

1. Street art is, by its very nature, ephemeral, and some of the best pieces come and go almost overnight.
2. Wandering the byways and back alleys is the best way to discover something fresh, appealing and eye-catching.

The whole point of street art is to be rebellious, to not follow the crowd and be a free spirit.

So just head for the city and make your own trail.

That said, the Prince Albert is a great starting point because the North Laine area of the city is packed with fascinating drawings, cartoons, graffiti, and sculptures.

North Laine is designed on a grid system, so it’s easy to work your way around it.
But don’t miss the tiny alleyways (twittens in the old Sussex dialect) where some of the best work can be found.

Look out for the backyard walls of Orange Row or Trafalgar Lane as well as the more popular Gloucester Road, Kensington Gardens and Sydney Street area.

Once you’ve finished in North Laine, you have two options.

One is to head away from the sea, and discover London Road. A busy through way of pubs, bargain shops, cafés and restaurants, it has plenty of colour.

Admire the blues and bubbles of The Hobgoblin, the eco-messages of the art around Providence Place and Cheapside.

Alternatively, head towards the sea for the more touristy areas of the city and the picturesque and historic lanes.

Just because it’s more flash, doesn’t mean the art has disappeared. Look up, look round and look down, and you’ll spot some great pieces to amuse and entertain.

Look for Minty’s overweight Spiderman on the side of a pizza place in Ship Street, or the tribute to the NHS in Middle Street painted by Req and commissioned by Peter Joannou.

Commercial street art in Brighton

Here’s where street art purists might take issue with us, but even when it’s done for commercial purposes, we think it adds to Brighton’s arty credentials.

Check out the trompe l’oeil designs on Paradox Place, the House of Illusions in Gloucester Road and the cheerful daisies that adorn the health and wellbeing shop next door.

Bustling Sydney Street has eclectic shops for comics and odd collectables, and the wall art tells you exactly what to expect.

And as Dorothy might have said, for street art there’s no place like Brighton.

Need a snack?
One of the other great things about a street art trail in Brighton is that you are never more than an artist’s brush away from a great café, restaurant, wine bar or pub.
Last time around, we rested awhile in Presuming Ed’s on London Road.
But the city is bursting with great eateries.

Accessible street art in Brighton
Apart from a few unexpectedly steep hills that take visitors by surprise, getting around Brighton is easy. And the whole point of street art is that it’s there, out in the open, for all to see.

So, which side of the street art debate are you on?
Do sprays, stencils and signatures enhance or ruin a city stroll?

All our photos were taken in June and August 2022. Remember, street art is constantly changing, so what you see here might not be what you see there!

All photographs copyright ©rosemaryandporkbelly

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Where to next?
• Rottingdean, home of mystery, music and murder
• Walking the streets of Brighton with Grace
• 8 Haunted Hotels in Sussex