Street Art has always been a popular artistic expression worldwide and even though Madrid is not as famous in this area as other capitals of the world, the amount and quality of street art in the city has been on the rise over recent years.
The city boasts a few key areas that are dedicated to this type of art where you can immerse yourself in colourful artistic expressions. Here we give you a small list to enjoy. Are you down for a street art tour?
La Tabacalera
Starting in 2014, the exterior walls surrounding La Tabacalera of Lavapiés, which is Madrid’s old tobacco company and said to be the oldest in the world, have been turned into an outdoor art gallery where countless murals are dedicated to street art. This is all thanks to the Madrid Street Art Project by the Ministry of Culture which took charge and got the Muros Tabacalera project on the go.
Each year the murals are renewed giving them a fresh feel for the latest street art trends. La Tabacalera is an open location where exhibitions, workshops, concerts and more take place. The murals are dedicated to bring light on the issues that affect the city in an artistic way.
Calle de Embajadores, 51
Urvanity Art
Known as the most popular post-graffiti exposition, Urvanity Art takes place once a year in the Madrid Art Week festival. Through the streets of Madrid and represented by modern art galleries, artists go on to paint the exteriors of buildings with their characteristic style.
This exposition takes place during the same time as ARCO Madrid, which is one of the biggest art fairs worldwide. Besides being known for its post-graffiti, it is also renowned for its new pop art.
Calle de Hortaleza, 63
Pinta Malasaña
When talking about street art we cannot forget to mention the hipster neighborhood of Malasaña. This neighborhood is filled with vintage stores, art galleries and funky street art that makes anyone in the area want to take pictures of it all and put on Instagram. There’s a real mix, from contemporary art on walls and doors to graffiti and stencilled messages
There are various projects that take place year round but one of the most frequented is the Pinta Malasaña festival which usually takes place around April. Spotting artwork throughout Malasaña’s streets is pretty easy since many shops, bars and buildings allow artists to paint on their surfaces.
Plaza de los Mostenses, 1
Mercado de la Cebada
This market located in the neighborhood of La Latina boasts an exterior filled with vibrant art. It is located in the Plaza of la Cebada and has turned, in a very short time, into one of the most dynamic meeting points in the city. The artistic transformation that the building has undergone has been a project of the collective known as Boamistura, which also has presence in other countries like Brazil, Germany and more.
Apart from the magnificent façade, the interior area has different vendors from where to buy anything pastries, ice cream, books, coffee and fresh produce to be able to cook and enjoy at home. You will definitely have a colourful experience when visiting the market.
Plaza de la Cebada
La Neomudéjar
More than just street art, La Neomudéjar is a hub of arts, creativity and experimentation that takes over unused locations and puts them to use for cultural purposes. They’ve been open since the year 2013 and operate as a self-run arts centre which is now also a museum. They are located next to the well-known Spanish railway, Atocha Renfe Station.
There are two levels where you can find numerous art ventures like exhibitions, 3D and visual arts installations, workshops, conferences and a gallery. On the first level monthly exhibitions are held and on the second level you’ll find the gallery and workshop areas. La Neomudéjar is Madrid’s location for vanguardist art.
Calle de Antonio Nebrija, S/N
So when it comes to options for art in Madrid there are so many choices to choose from and we’re only focusing on Street Art in this article. Enjoy some of Madrid’s most amazing art. And if you fancy mixing the new with the old, don’t forget to take a look at our Segway Tours, like our Historical Segway Tour.
