The North of England and Scotland are vibrant hubs of creativity. Musicians from these regions dominate the charts, actors shine on screens worldwide, and artists consistently make bold statements. It’s no wonder that the streets of many northern cities are decorated with some of the most inspiring street art in the UK and beyond. Thanks to Instagram, this incredible art is being celebrated worldwide. But with over 68M posts for #streetart on the platform, which northern murals are capturing the most hearts and shares?

By tracking #streetart over the summer, TransPennine Express has identified the top cities in the North of the UK for street art, and the murals and artists that are getting the most Insta-love.

Top 10 most Instagrammed street art in the North

1. Saint Mungo – Painted by Smug, located on High Street, Glasgow
2. Honey…I Shrunk the Kids – Painted by Smug, located on Mitchell Street, Glasgow
3. Oasis mural – Painted by Snow Graffiti, located on Bury Old Road, Manchester
4. The World’s Most Economical Taxi – Painted by Rogue Oner, located on Mitchell Street, Glasgow
5. Swan Buildings Mural – Painted by Case, located on Cable Street, Manchester
6. Reverie – Painted by Peachzz, located on Carver Street, Sheffield
7. Ringo Star mural – Painted by John Culshaw, located on High Park Street, Liverpool
8. Clyde Street mural – Painted by Box Vincent & Frodrik, located on Clyde Street, Glasgow
9. Saint Enoch and Child – Painted by Smug, located on High Street, Glasgow
10. Sound of Freedom – Painted by Somari & Neil Keating, located on Tempest Hey, Liverpool

The iconic mural of the founder and patron saint of Glasgow tops the list. The piece depicts a modern-day Saint Mungo and references the story of The Bird That Never Flew. This huge mural, painted by Smug, can be found on High Street and made up 5% of the street art posts shared in Glasgow during the summer months. In second position is another beautiful mural by Smug called Honey…I Shrunk the Kids, located on Mitchell Street in Glasgow. Third is the new Oasis mural by Snow Graffiti, located on Bury Old Road in Manchester – which was painted to celebrate the band’s reunion tour announcement.

Having first looked at the top cities for street art in 2019, TransPennine Express has also uncovered which city has seen the most growth in people posting to Instagram over the last five years. Glasgow has seen the largest increase of 232%, with 29,420 #streetart photos shared since the summer of 2019.

Kathryn O’Brien, Customer Experience & Transformation Director for TransPennine Express, comments: “The North and Scotland boasts some of the UK’s most captivating street art murals, enhancing the appeal of our cities and driving travel and economic growth.

These vibrant artworks attract both tourists and locals, boosting local businesses and displaying the region’s unique cultural heritage.

At TransPennine Express, we are proud to connect the North, enabling travellers to experience these vibrant cities firsthand.”

The full study, including a breakdown of the most Instagrammed street art murals for each of the biggest northern UK cities, can be found on-site here: https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/explore-the-north-and-scotland/blog/street-art-capital-north-uk