When you think of Montreal thoughts of European charm, cobblestone streets, and incredible cafés come to mind. But the Montreal street art scene is massive. From out of this world street art festivals to murals around every corner, street art is inspiring many to travel to Montreal.

To be honest, the Montreal street art scene was the main reason I chose to visit. But I blown away by the sheer amount of street art across the city. It can be in nearly every neighbourhood from downtown to Chinatown and Griffintown to even Old Montreal. And around every corner, down almost every alley, and covering many buildings.

Montreal Street Art Festivals

You can’t talk about the street art of Montreal without mentioning its two festivals. Montreal’s first street art festival is Under Pressure. This annual graffiti festival has been going on for over 20 years, making it the longest running event of its kind in North America.

The other is Mural Festival. The Mural Festival began in 2012 but has continued to grow at rapid speed. Millions of people every year visit Montreal to take in this epic festival. So far the festival’s incredible artists, which come from across the globe, have created over 80 murals and installations. And I also mention this festival because it takes place in the heart of Plateau Mont Royal.

The Festival runs for 10 days in the summer and offers free concerts, guided tours, and the ability to see these amazing murals being created. They even have their own APP! The Mural Festival APP helps you discover the murals, find out the programming, and so much more!

Where to Find the Best Montreal Street Art

I’m here to share with you the best neighbourhood to find Montreal street art! It not only has the most street art but is also, in my opinion, is the best place to explore the city. Along with local and quirky shops and cafés, Montreal’s Plateau Mont Royal neighbourhood is your place to explore the best street art Montreal has to offer.

The Plateau Mont Royal neighbourhood sits to the north-west of downtown, and at the base of Mount Royal. With the main hub being Saint Laurent Boulevard. It’s hip, it’s colourful, and according to Statistics Canada has the greatest number of creative people in Canada. So, it’s no surprise it’s the best neighbourhood to find street art in the city. It was even rated as one of the 15 “hippest” neighbourhoods in North America.

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Plateau Mont Royal’s Best Street Art

While there are endless murals and awesome street art to be found across Plateau Mont Royal, the following are a mix of a few of my favourites and some iconic Montreal murals.

My first few pieces of street art in Montreal’s Plateau Mont Royal neighbourhood were all found together in one parking lot. Located off St. Dominique St in a parking lot between Sherbrooke St. E and Rue Prince Arthur E, you’ll find 3 of the following murals, plus a few more great ones.

One of them is by D*Face, also known as Dean Stockton, who is a leading figure in Urban Contemporary Art from London. The second is the crazy happy faced Mona Lisa by Ron English. Born in the United States Ron is one of the most prolific artists of his generation. He even created the term “POPaganda” to describe his style, a blend of comic book superheroes meets iconic historic art. The third is a literal ray of sunshine that I just loved!

A Few Iconic Montreal Murals

First up is Graffiti Granny. Located on Saint Laurent Blvd, this is one of the top pieces of street art in Montreal that you can even find it on Google Maps. It was created by the A’SHOP team of artists. Full of colour, the second piece is one of Montreal’s Jackie Robinson murals. This one was created by Fluke, the founder of the A’SHOP crew.

While this next piece isn’t the famous Leonard Cohen mural located in downtown Montreal and can be seen from Mount Royal, it is still noteworthy. Plateau Mont Royal has its own Leonard Cohen mural. Located at the corner of Prince Arthur and Saint Laurent, it was created by Kevin Ledo and still took 24 days to finish.

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My Favourites

A couple of my favourites include the Mirror Effect. Located in a schoolyard, this piece by ART DU COMMUN, illustrates a reflection of row houses and a stunning bird. To no surprise, one of my other favourite pieces of street art in Montreal has birds too! This next one has a wonderful mess of birds wrapping themselves around an entire small business.

Some Pops of Colour

A few colourful pieces that can be found here include a fun one that I dubbed suits zombie alley. This one is by Monosourcil, a Montreal street artist, can be found on near the corner of Prince Arthur St. and Saint Laurent Blvd. Another one that I couldn’t help but be in awe of its size was by Curiot, Favio Martinez. Located on the corner of Sherbrooke St. and Jeanne Mance St, this muralist based in Mexico City, brings mythical creatures to life in an approachable way. The last splash of colour covers a building on Avenue Pins East, between Laval Avenue and Henri Julien Ave. This mix of green, purple and blue is by Claudia Walde, also known as Mad C, who was born in Germany.

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and Don’t Forget…

The following are a few more murals that are not to be missed. At the edge of the world, this beautiful piece by Jonathan Bergeron, who lives and works in Montreal, can be found at 3590 Saint Laurent Blvd. You can’t help but fall in love with the bull-headed woman by SbuOne, located at Duluth Ave W. and Clark St. Another fun one is the two women in laundry rags mural. Created by Australian street artist Fintan Magee, this one can be found on Ave des Pins East, between Avenue de L’Hotel-de-Ville and Avenue Laval.

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If you’re looking for a detailed map of Plateau Mont Royal’s street art check out this handy map from Wall2Wall Montreal.

Do you have a favourite place to find Montreal street art?

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