For many people, taking in local art and culture is one of the most exciting parts of exploring a new place. Luckily for those visiting the UK, our cities and towns are bursting with cultural hot spots – from world-leading galleries to tiny venues that host the hottest gigs.
As we’re so spoilt for choice, we’ve crunched the data to reveal the most artistic cities in the UK – creating the ultimate bucket-list for art fans and culture vultures. The results were compiled by totting up how well cities in the UK represented the arts, using the number of art galleries and museums, the average number of live music gigs a week, the number of theatres and the amount of street art as a mark of each city’s artistic credentials. An artistic index was then calculated to take into consideration the size of the city itself, resulting in a fascinating top 20 list that might surprise you.
According to the data, Bristol, known around the world as the home of Banksy, has been named as the most artistic city in the UK, followed by Brighton, Manchester, London and Glasgow.
The most artistic cities in the UK
1. Bristol
One of Bristol’s claims to fame is being the home of the world’s most famous graffiti artist Banksy, so it’s no surprise that this southwest city has been named the most artistic in the country. There is a wealth of artistic activities to pursue, but its street art is perhaps the most memorable. Enjoy some of the best graffiti in the country just by taking a stroll around this beautiful city.
2. Brighton
With its thriving music scene and great mix of art galleries and exhibitions, Brighton is a fantastic destination for lovers of the arts. Head to some of the many galleries to browse the latest works, where there’s a range of price points meaning that you don’t have to fork out for an artistic souvenir. If you’re looking to embrace the local music scene then visit during The Great Escape in May, a city-wide music festival that attracts the best in new music.
3. Manchester
Manchester’s music scene is known throughout the world, being the hometown of iconic bands such as The Stone Roses, Oasis and The Smiths. The city’s music creds remain and it’s a perfect choice for those looking to experience live music – from large-scale concerts at Manchester Arena to intimate gigs at Band on the Wall.
4. London
Unsurprisingly, the nation’s capital offers a huge amount of opportunities to experience the arts. Art-lovers looking to view some of the greats are in luck, Monet’s ‘The Water-Lily Pond’, Van Gogh’s ‘Sunflowers’ and Seurat’s ‘Bathers At Asnières’ can all be seen in the city’s art museums and galleries, to name just a few.
5. Glasgow
Home to over 20 museums and art galleries, Glasgow is a one-of-a-kind destination for those who are fans of art. With world famous works of art by artists such as Van Gogh and Monet available to view alongside exhibitions of up-and-coming artists, it’s a must-visit for anyone interested in art.
The top 20 most artistic cities in the UK
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The art index that makes up results for the top 20 are as follows:
* Number of art galleries and museums for each city was taken from TripAdvisor data
* Number of theatres for each city was taken from Theatres Online
* Average number of gigs per week was calculated from the number of music gigs in the past six months as listed on Song Kick
* Street art credentials were calculated finding out the number of uses of the hashtag ‘#streetart’ in each city over the past six months