London art scene: Murals, theatre design, and underground galleries

When you think of the London art scene, the living, breathing network of public spaces, galleries, and performance venues that define the city’s creative identity. Also known as London’s creative ecosystem, it’s not just about what hangs on gallery walls—it’s about how art moves through the city, shapes neighborhoods, and speaks directly to people who live here. This isn’t the quiet, hushed world of old-money collectors. It’s the loud, messy, real stuff—graffiti that tells stories of migration, costumes from West End shows that get reused in community theatres, and murals painted by artists who’ve never stepped inside a museum.

The street art London, a dynamic, evolving form of public expression that turns city walls into canvases for social commentary and cultural pride. Also known as urban art, it’s where you’ll find the biggest shifts in tone and voice—from the politically charged pieces in Whitechapel to the joyful, colorful works in Hackney. The 2025 London Mural Festival didn’t just add 100 new murals; it turned entire blocks into open-air galleries where locals stop to take photos, kids trace outlines with their fingers, and tourists realize they’re standing in the middle of a conversation the city is having with itself. Meanwhile, the theatre design exhibits, the hidden art behind the performances that bring stories to life through fabric, light, and wood. Also known as stage design, these aren’t just props—they’re emotional tools. The V&A and Design Museum don’t just display costumes from Les Misérables or The Lion King; they show how a single piece of fabric can carry decades of history, or how a wooden set piece can make you feel like you’re in a war zone without a single actor on stage. These two worlds—street and stage—are connected. The same artists who paint murals in Peckham often design sets for fringe shows in Dalston. The people who stitch costumes for the National Theatre also run pop-up workshops in community centres in Brixton.

You won’t find this in tourist brochures. You’ll find it when you walk down a side street in Islington and see a theatre poster taped to a lamppost, or when you stumble into a tiny gallery in Whitechapel where the opening night crowd is mostly neighbors, not collectors. The London art scene doesn’t wait for you to buy a ticket. It’s already outside your door, on the bus, in the park. What follows is a collection of stories that show you exactly where it’s happening—where the paint is still wet, the costumes are still being stitched, and the next big thing hasn’t been named yet.