Leith Late unveils The Mural Project

In January last year, The Scotsman ran a piece on the emergence of Leith as a force to be reckoned with as a hub for artists, with a clutch of galleries opening up over the last decade that offered young artists a much-needed platform for their work.

Guido van Helten puts the finishing touches on his Leith Walk mural. Picture: Greg Macvean

Leith Late, a multi-arts organisation entering its third year, has been responsible for presenting artists’ works in some of Leith’s most prominent public spaces. Following The Shutter Project, which showcased the works of several local artists on shop and cafe shutters on Leith Walk, The Mural Project extends the idea by commissioning a group of local artists, The Blameless Collective, to collaborate on a 28 ft high, 31 ft wide piece on the corner of Halmyre Street and Gordon Street that has been eight months in the making.

Another two murals put together by Australian street artist Guido van Helten will commemorate the 1915 Gretna rail disaster, and a 1960 Edinburgh International Festival production of Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s version of Seven Deadly Sins, starring ballerina Anja Linden and singer Cleo Laine. These can be seen in an alley beside the Drill Hall and on Leith Walk, respectively.

• Pictures courtesy of Leith Late and Eoin Carey. For more information on Leith Late, visit www.leithlate.com