The Complete Guide to Street Art in DTLA's Arts District

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I’m fortunate enough to live in the Arts District in bustling Downtown Los Angeles. The LA street art scene is one of the most vibrant in the world and showcases this better than the street art in DTLA’s Arts District. Every day while walking my dog, I’m surrounded by vibrant murals, cool graffiti, slick stencils, and cool yarn bombs. A few years ago I started taking pictures of this amazing street art and sharing it on my Instagram. It became rather popular, so I thought I should share it on this blog for the world to see.

Whether you’re visiting LA for the first time or you live here and you’re looking for an off-the-beaten-path activity, you’re sure to love this guide to Los Angeles street art.

A Guide to Graffiti, Murals, Yarn Bombs, and Other Street Art in LA

One of the big things I’ve been meaning to get around to is creating a mapped database of street art in Los Angeles. Having lived in The Arts District for eight years, I’ve seen a lot of street art come and go. And having an adorable French bulldog, I’ve walked past these stunning murals, yarn bombs, stencils, graffiti art pieces, and sculptures many, many times. In April 2018, I began taking photos of my Frenchie pup, Maddie, posing in front of street art in Los Angeles. I was turning these photos into my own little bound photo book collection with the help of Chatbooks. By April 2020 I had over 20 hardcover photo books, 610 different street art photos, and a very well-trained French bulldog who had completely mastered “sit” and “wait.”

Heart Graffiti, Los Angeles near Willow Studios

Where Can I Find Murals In Los Angeles?

If you google DTLA street art, you’ll find several “best of” la graffiti and mural sites and a Wheelchair Accessible Tour of Street Art in LA’s Arts District, but you won’t find a comprehensive database of every mural LA has to offer. Given the transient nature of street art, I was always a little bummed that nobody was cataloging these amazing works of art online for the world to see. So, with my newfound copious leisure time, I’ve taken the liberty of uploading these photos and pinning them into google maps. You can now click on each pin, see the photo, find out exactly where the best graffiti artists are putting up their work, and plan your own walking tour to check out LA’s thriving art scene.

For those with mobility issues, I highly recommend exploring the area around The Container Yard as there are always large-scale murals and wide-open sidewalks and streets that are easily navigated in a wheelchair or scooter. The perimeter of their property is filled with some of the best Arts District mural work painted by the world’s top Street Artists. You can find a ton of graffiti wall art, stencils, yarn bombs, and awesome LA murals in this few-block area as well as the areas around Traction Avenue at The American Hotel extending down to Angel City Brewery (Alameda Ave & 3rd Street), and around Mateo Street just north and south of 7th.

As you will see on the map below, some of the art is located down alleys and other less accessible areas. Please exercise caution when exploring! Since the pandemic, some of these areas have become homeless encampments and are not safe to walk through. Crime has increased in DTLA over the past few years and it is best to stick to high-traffic areas and stay alert.

Keep in mind, Downtown Los Angeles street art, like street art everywhere, is only temporary, and some of the graffiti, murals, and other public works of art have since been covered up. But many of these pieces still exist. Especially the larger Los Angeles murals by some of the more famous graffiti artists like Christina Angelina, Shepard Fairey, WRDSMTH, Tristan Eaton, David Choe, and RISK. The streets of LA are like a living museum with ever-changing exhibits… If people relieved themselves in the middle of museums.

LA Iconic Street Art Kobe Bryant Mural Los Angeles - Alameda & 4th Street (NOT 4th Place)

Photographing Street Art in DTLA

All of my Los Angeles mural photos feature my adorable, French bulldog, Maddie, who is quite cooperative and photogenic… unless she sees something delicious like a half-eaten cheeseburger in the gutter. Then she’s done with the murals of Los Angeles and I’m desperately trying to wrangle trash out of her mouth. Ah, city living!

I hope you check out our photos and enjoy playing around with the map below. Most of the LA street art I’ve included is in the Arts District, Los Angeles Flower District, Los Angeles Fashion District, and Los Angeles Jewelry District, but you’ll find a little bonus art in Santa Monica, Culver City, Venice, mid-city, and East LA areas. Full disclosure, the map still has a few kinks I’m trying to work out, so please bear with me as I adjust some pins and try to figure out a system to add artists’ credit attribution.

Visit LA Street Art

If you don’t want to sign up for a proper LA street art tour, you can plan your own art tours of downtown LA with the help of my handy LA Arts District map. Until then, enjoy your virtual tour of the street art of Los Angeles.

If you have any questions on where to find a specific piece, feel free to leave a comment below or reach out through the Sick Girl Travels email address.