Cologne is full of art — street art enlivens urban spaces and recharges grey walls with colourful visions. That’s because the city is a living organism — a democratic concept shared by the many artists who, day by day, make Cologne this uniquely exciting metropolis. Every two years, the biennial urban art festival City Leaks invites international artists to add to the city’s street art and calls on Cologne’s citizens to actively participate. You can experience Cologne’s street art as you stroll through the Belgian Quarter, the Ehrenfeld district, Ebertplatz and the rest of the city. See for yourself — Cologne is colourful.
Street Art Cologne
The most important works at a glance
CityLeaks
An urban art festival that Cologne celebrates every two years
Squares, open areas, streets — urban spaces should offer visual diversity that promotes discussion, and urban design should not be left to public authorities and institutions. In this spirit, the City Leaks Urban Art Festival invites international artists to Cologne. As a result, the city’s visual panorama is not limited to flashing commercial advertisements. During the festival, numerous workshops, discussions and performances invite participants to actively share in the creative process, in line with the slogan “Working together to create Cologne’s urban image”.
Street art tours
You can experience the artworks in Cologne’s urban environment on a guided tour that opens up multiple perspectives as you pass by the most outstanding graffiti landscapes.
Ebertplatz
This centrally located square with its sculptured fountain is a good example of urban architecture in the brutalist style, and its lower levels offer artistically designed “off spaces” that are known far and wide.
Urban Art Map
City map by VisitKöln - in co-operation with Street Art Cities
The Urban Art Map provides a digital overview of all murals and other urban art in the individual city districts. By clicking on the markers on the map, you will receive information on the exact location and the artist of the mural. This makes it easy to create a personalised route through Cologne to discover urban art on your own. There is also an app (Street Art Cities) for convenient use on your smartphone, which you can download free of charge.
Just one click to the city vacation
Accommodation options for every taste
KölnCard
The official tourist ticket
Would you like to discover Cologne inexpensively and easily? Then we recommend the KölnCard. The tourist ticket offers you free travel on all public transport and great discounts on art, culture and gastronomy.
Discover more cultural highlights