The installation of several pieces of new artwork in Lerwick town centre have added colour and intrigue to the town centre – and caught the eye of locals and visitors alike.
Lerwick town centre has looked as welcoming as ever this summer.
With bunting, benches and flowers provided by Living Lerwick there has been a bright and colourful atmosphere in Shetland’s commercial hub, enjoyed by residents and tourists.
But this year there is an intriguing new aspect to the town centre – prominent pieces of public art.
Ranging from colourful murals to thought-provoking sculptures the installations have been an intriguing addition to the streetscape.
The new works have provoked debate, as public art schemes should, and it is probably fair to say they have attracted both bemused and admiring glances.
Either way they have added vibrancy to the town centre and Steve Mathieson, chairman of the Living Lerwick Business Improvement District (BID), is pleased by the response.
He said: “The Locus public art trail gives the town centre more interest and colour for both locals and visitors alike.
“The commissioned artists have created a series of striking visual artworks that create a narrative on Lerwick and its connection to the past, present and future and have certainly stimulated some lively debate and raised the profile of Shetland as a contemporary art location.
“Public art exposes more people to art, and art tourism is an acknowledged and growing sector of the tourism industry so we hope people will want to come to Lerwick to follow and appreciate the trail for themselves.”
The commissioned artists have created a series of striking visual artworks that create a narrative on Lerwick and its connection to the past, present and future.
If you are planning a trip to Lerwick don't forget to check out our area guide.
Locus is the name given to the art trail which was paid for by the Scottish government’s Town Centre’s fund, via Shetland Islands Council. The work was overseen by Living Lerwick in association with Shetland Arts.
Living Lerwick project manager Emma Miller is also delighted with the outcome.
She said: “The recent addition of the murals to the art trail has delivered an additional splash of colour and interest to the town centre.
“Even watching them being painted by the artists was an appeal to come to ‘the Street’ and we’ve had excellent feedback.”
The sculptures and murals have certainly attracted a great deal of attention since being rolled out over the last couple of months with dozens of photos shared on social media.
New public art displays stretch beyond Lerwick. As part of the #LightTheNorth lighthouse trail, organised by Clan Cancer Support in partnership with Wild in Art, three beautifully decorated lighthouses have been installed in Shetland.
Scalloway, Sumburgh Head and Lerwick are each hosting one of the 50 lighthouses that form part of the trail of discovery that provides a “creative opportunity to engage people in important topics”.
As you can see from the images below, the lighthouses also proved popular with Kaylee Robertson and her well-trained pets – Shetland sheep dogs and Alaskan Klee Kais.
Find out more about the artists involved and what inspired them at our blog about the Locus project.