Rutledge Lane

In Melbourne, you should always prepare yourself for stumbling upon hidden gems tucked away in the city.
If you’re into art, especially graffiti art, Rutledge Lane is definitely a must-​go to check out local talents. No, it’s not senseless tagging… but when you walk into Rutledge Lane you are immediately met with a barrage of colours, shapes, etc — all combining together to form beautifully decorated walls and giving Melbourne’s artistic charm.
Although Melbourne obviously has many obvious touristy locations such as Federation Square that is apparent to everyone, it’s almost worth to visit the tucked away areas and experience the underground artistic scene that is hidden from plain view.
Wow I sound like a complete hipster, but that’s okay.
NOTES:
~ It’s a graffiti art gallery, so it’s completely free of charge with no opening hours.

Some people do not appreciate graffiti — its a mess, its illegal, its ugly… blah blah blah.
Now, I couldnt manouver a spray can around to save my life. Better yet Im probably the least talented artist you will ever meet. Eg. My year 10 maths teacher felt sorry for me when I accidentally got put in 2d art as my elective with all the artists, so he graded me on different criteria, like ‘effort’ and ‘use of colours’, bless his heart.
But you dont have to be an artist to recognise and appreciate graffiti as an art. There is a skill and talent to it — in the underground graffiti world, there are those who are internationally recognised and have gone on to have public outdoor exhibitions and indoor galleries featuring their work.
Here in Melbourne, Rutledge Lane features this kind of work. Walls are covered in hours of labour, by those wanting to leave their little stamp on the world and this great city. People from all over the world come to this lane to see it — it stands up there with any work you will find in the streets of London, New York and Los Angeles.
If you are interested in this type of thing, or are willing to open your eyes to the possibility that there is more to this than scribble on the wall, head to Rutedge lane. Its free, open at all hours, and there are no lines. Melbourne at its creative and eclectic best.

Tucked behind a carpark and Movida Next Door, and round the corner from the slightly more famous Hosier lane, you’ll find a laneway with some of the most stunning graffiti around. I would count this as one of Melbourne’s free art exhibitions, even though the «art» isn’t exactly, well, legal. It is free for your enjoyment, though, so go for it.
It is, however, regularly refreshed, as you can tell by the wet paint smell that will usually confront your nose. Great photo opportunity location, so be wary of the gazillion or so photographers set up with their skinny jeans, big hair and tripods.