Northern Quarter street art

Street art covers many of the walls of the Northern Quarter in Manchester, England, with the densest concentrations of murals around Stevenson Square, Tib Street and Thomas Street. The district's former textile warehouses and Victorian brick facades provide large canvases, and local and visiting artists have painted everything from large-scale figurative murals to stencils, paste-ups and small tags. The works change over time, as new pieces are added and older ones are painted over, so no two visits are identical. Stevenson Square is a good starting point, and the surrounding lanes and alleys reward wandering, with new pieces often appearing on the sides of shops, bars and car parks. The works are free to see, and the streets are open at all times. A walk to find the main murals takes about an hour and combines easily with browsing in record shops, vintage stores and cafes. Soft overcast daylight is best for photography, because it avoids harsh shadows and bright reflections on the walls, while early morning is the quietest time with fewer people in the shot. Evenings suit those who want to combine the art with bars and live music, though light is poorer then. Metrolink stops at Piccadilly Gardens and Market Street are a few minutes' walk away. Visitors should respect the surrounding businesses and residents, avoid blocking doorways and ask before photographing people. Organised walking tours with local guides are available for those who want more background on the artists and the stories behind the murals, but the area is also easy to explore independently.