Where to buy art in London (and what's near Covent Garden)
To buy art in London, go direct to artists at markets such as Jubilee Market Hall in Covent Garden, Old Spitalfields and Greenwich, browse independent galleries, or visit art fairs. Near Covent Garden, Luis Alvarez sells original pop art and prints from £20 at Jubilee Market Hall, 1 Tavistock Street, WC2E 8BD, every Saturday and Sunday.
If you've typed "art near me" into your phone while standing in Covent Garden, hello. You're about two minutes from my stall, and I promise it's worth the walk past the street performers. If you're planning ahead, even better. Here's an honest guide to buying art in London, from a man who sells it every weekend.
The quick answer: where to buy art in London
| Where | Best for | Price range |
|---|---|---|
| Artist markets | Buying direct, meeting the artist, gifts | £10 to a few hundred |
| Independent galleries | Curated work, emerging artists | £100 and up |
| Art fairs | Seeing lots of artists in one day | Wide range |
| Degree shows (summer) | New artists, early prices | Often affordable |
| Artists' websites | Buying after you've seen the work | Same as in person |
Art near Covent Garden
Covent Garden is one of the best places in London to buy art, because there's so much in a small space.
Jubilee Market Hall
On the south side of the Piazza at 1 Tavistock Street, WC2E 8BD. At the weekend it's arts and crafts, with artists selling their own work. My stall is here every Saturday and Sunday: hand-painted slogans on antique book pages, originals from £55, prints from £20.
View piecePlease Don't Do Cocaine in the Bathroom (Multicolour)
View pieceThis Ain't the Ritz (Original Art)
View pieceRebel Heart
View pieceHa Ha Ha No
The Apple Market
Inside the main Market Building under the glass roof, with makers, crafts and small art.
Galleries and shops nearby
Walk ten minutes in any direction and you'll pass galleries and shops selling prints and design: around Seven Dials, along the streets towards Soho and down towards the Strand. The London Transport Museum shop has brilliant prints of classic Underground posters.
My Covent Garden shopping guide has a route that takes in all of it.
Getting to the stall
- Address: Jubilee Market Hall, 1 Tavistock Street, London WC2E 8BD
- When: every Saturday and Sunday
- Tube: Covent Garden (Piccadilly line), a few minutes' walk. Leicester Square and Holborn are close too.
- Directions: search "Luis Alvarez Art" in Google Maps, or see the map on my visit page.
- Before you come: WhatsApp me to check a piece is on the stall.
Elsewhere in London
If you're doing a proper art day, London's markets are spread across the city: Old Spitalfields in the east, Greenwich in the south-east, Camden in the north, Portobello Road in the west, and the Sunday art railings along Bayswater Road by Hyde Park. I've written up the best art markets in London with what each one is good for.
How to buy art in London without regret
- Know your wall. Take a photo and measure it before you go. My guide on what size art print for a living room helps.
- Set a budget. Prints from about £20, small originals from about £55. Decide before you fall in love.
- Ask about delivery. Big pieces on the Tube are a nightmare. Most artists ship, and many deliver abroad.
- Ask the story. Who made it, how, why. It makes the piece mean more.
- Buy what makes you react. Not what matches the sofa. See how to choose art for your home.
Buying art in London as a visitor
Prints and works on paper are flat and light, which makes them perfect souvenirs. Slip them between clothes in a suitcase, or have them sent home. I deliver to Ireland, France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, the USA, Canada and Australia, with the price shown at checkout, and quote for anywhere else. A London-made piece of art beats a fridge magnet every time.
View pieceLondon or Nowhere
View pieceThis Ain't the Savoy
View pieceI Speak Fluent Louis Vuitton (2021)
View pieceThis Ain't the Ritz (Black and White)
London or Nowhere is the souvenir for people who never want to leave. This Ain't the Savoy is a tribute to London's grandest hotels, from someone who can't afford to stay in them.
Can't get there? Buy online
Everything on my stall is online at the same prices. UK delivery is £1.75 a print and free over £80, and you can choose to collect from the stall at the weekend instead.
Buying art in London questions
At Jubilee Market Hall on the south side of the Piazza, where artists including Luis Alvarez sell their work every weekend, and in the Apple Market inside the main Market Building.
Artist markets, where you buy direct. In Covent Garden, Luis Alvarez sells prints from £20 and originals from £55.
Yes. Luis Alvarez sells hand-painted pop art at Jubilee Market Hall, 1 Tavistock Street, WC2E 8BD, every Saturday and Sunday.
Yes. Luis Alvarez delivers to several countries including the USA, Canada, Australia and much of Europe, with prices shown at checkout.
Pop artist at Jubilee Market Hall, Covent Garden, since 2021. Hand-paints bold, funny slogans on antique book pages. More about Luis.
More from the blog.
The Covent Garden art market: a stallholder's guide to Jubilee Market Hall
Visiting the Covent Garden art market? An artist who trades there every weekend on Jubilee Market Hall, what is on when, and how to find his stall.
The best art markets in London, from someone who stands in one every weekend
The best art markets in London, from Covent Garden's Jubilee Market Hall to Spitalfields and Greenwich, picked by an artist who trades there every weekend.
Covent Garden shopping guide: a stallholder's map of the good bits
A Covent Garden shopping guide from a local stallholder: the markets, Neal's Yard, Seven Dials, where to find art and gifts, and how to dodge the crowds.