Art to Reinvigorate City Streets

Stirling’s city streets are set to be reinvigorated with public artworks - image shows shoppers on Port Street, Stirling.

A series of vibrant and uplifting art installations will help reinvigorate Stirling City Centre in the coming months.

The City Commissions Project will give artists the chance to use their skills to boost the City’s ongoing recovery by creating artworks which improve the urban environment and encourage residents and visitors to spend more time there.

Led by Stirling Council and Scene Stirling, a key focus of the project will be on the main public routes and spaces in and around the city, which the partners aim to transform with inclusive and dementia friendly artwork.

The announcement of the commissions follows the news that Stirling is the only Scottish city to make the longlist for the 2025 City of Culture.

Councillor Chris Kane, Convener of Stirling Council’s Community Planning and Regeneration Committee said: “This is an exciting investment which seeks imaginative ways to deal with some of the city centre’s recurring challenges.

“We want our city centre to be an accessible, colourful, engaging and welcoming environment for residents and visitors alike and the City Commissions will tap into the local talent we’re blessed with in Stirling to bring exciting art that will provide talking points and encourage meeting spaces.

“This is a project which will nurture and showcase local talent as well as offer continued support and employment opportunities within the creative sector in what has been a challenging 18 months.”

Kevin Harrison, Manager of the city’s Place Partnership Scene Stirling said: “We’re looking to appoint a team of artists, with experience of working in public spaces and a strong commitment to inclusion, to create a masterplan for Stirling and go on to work with our local artists and creative communities.

“Together they’ll make art that creates meeting and talking points, supports wayfinding, enhances Stirling’s magnificent cultural and heritage assets, and reflects the identity and diversity of the city and its residents in way that engages all those who use and visit our city centre.”

The City Commissions project will develop alongside complementary signage and wayfinding design, in line with Stirling’s ambitions to create a dementia friendly city.

It aims to enhance the distinctive heritage of Stirling’s city centre with a series of uplifting targeted creative commissions, which will address known challenges in key identified areas.

The commissions also give artists the opportunity to incorporate the 20-year anniversary of Stirling's city status into the creative solutions proposed and submitted.

For further information on how to apply see www.scenestirling.com/calls-for-artists