Street art, music and culture on Beaufort Street

Beaufort Street’s revival from the 1980s onwards was driven as much by culture as by commerce. A restored cinema, live music venues, independent bookshops and galleries, and a festival that closed the street to traffic made it one of the creative hubs of Perth’s inner north. This hub gathers our guides to that side of the street.

Laneway art

During the 2010s the Beaufort Street Network ran laneway and public art projects that brought murals to walls behind the main strip in Highgate and Mount Lawley. Archived pages from the network’s website record works by Perth artists and street painters including Amok Island, Jerome Davenport, Fieldey, Brad Loafer and Dolus, along with painted road art and a mural program around the Mary Street area.

Street art is, by nature, impermanent. Walls are repainted, buildings redeveloped and new works appear. Treat any list of murals as a starting point and enjoy the hunt. Our tips:

• Explore the laneways running parallel to Beaufort Street behind the shops in Highgate and Mount Lawley.
• Go in daylight, and be considerate. Laneways are also service roads and residents’ back gates.
• Photograph from public space and don’t climb on fences or private property.
• Look up as well. Some works are on upper walls and building sides.

The Astor Theatre

The Astor, on the corner of Beaufort and Walcott streets, is the cultural anchor of the street. Built in 1914–15 as the Lyceum, it was remodelled in Art Deco style in 1939 and renamed in 1941. Saved from possible demolition, it was restored in 1989. Today it hosts films, live music, comedy and community events. Read our Astor Theatre guide.

The festival years

From 2010 to 2015 the Beaufort Street Festival closed the street for a day each November, filling it with stages, stalls, art and food. The City of Vincent Local History Centre says it attracted 150,000 people in its final year. It was discontinued in 2016. Read our festival history.

Picture houses of the past

The inner north once had several cinemas. As well as the Lyceum, which became the Astor, the City of Vincent records the Premier Theatre in Highgate. Built in 1925 on Stirling and Bulwer streets and linked to the East Perth Football Club, it had outdoor picture gardens from 1937. It closed in 1963 and was demolished in 1987. The Astor is the survivor that carries that entertainment tradition on Beaufort Street today.

Books, galleries and makers

Independent shops are part of the street’s identity. Mount Lawley has long had independent bookshops, and both Mount Lawley and Inglewood have galleries, design stores and makers’ spaces. Businesses change, so check current opening hours before you visit.

Markets and community events

Inglewood has hosted evening community markets on Beaufort Street during the warmer months; check current dates before you go. Hyde Park, a short walk from Highgate, hosts the annual Hyde Park Fair, which grew from a festival first held in 1968. See Hyde Park.

Plan a cultural day

Start at the city end with the WA Museum Boola Bardip, the State Library or the Art Gallery of Western Australia, all beside the southern end of Beaufort Street. Then head north to Highgate’s laneways and cafés, take a break in Hyde Park, and finish with a show at the Astor. It is a full day that shows the street’s culture from end to end.

Supporting local creativity

The best way to keep Beaufort Street creative is to support it. Buy a ticket, a book or a print, follow local artists, and respect the walls and venues that make the street interesting.