Street artists are adding a splash of colour to some of Perth city centre’s drabbest corners.
Vennels throughout the Fair City have been transformed into works of art as part of a new project commissioned by council chiefs.
The eye-catching work ties in with Perth’s bid for the 2021 City of Culture crown.
Artists from local studios — including Strathearn’s Fun Makes Good, Big County’s Bigg Design and the Real Nice Studio — have spent two weekends working on the well-used, but usually unremarkable thoroughfares.
The four vennels which were targeted as part of the project include Oliphant’s, Baxter’s, the Water Vennel — linking Watergate and Tay Street — and Fleshers.
Each alleyway has been given a theme, so Oliphant’s Vennel has been transformed with a cartoon elephant, whose flexi-trunk extends around the corner on to St John Street where he offers passing shoppers a bouquet of flowers.
Illustrations of cuts of meat have appeared at Fleshers Vennel, alongside images of butchers’ tools.
A spokeswoman for the project said: “The intent was to reconnect people with these historic passageways, encourage people to think about their historic uses and perhaps how they can be used in the future.”
She added: “Each vennel was themed and passers by were encouraged to comment, ask questions and express their opinions — and of course, they did.
“The vast majority of people that engaged with the project were very positive, glad to see that a bit of colour and attention were being brought to the often overlooked pathways.
“We all hope that this is the start of something much bigger.”
The works are only temporary and were created using spray-chalks.
Top designer Wayne Hemingway highlighted the importance of Perth’s vennels at a talk in February.
He said he became interested in the alleyways during his first tour of the city last year.
They featured prominently in a draft design which could be used as part of the all-important submission to City of Culture judges.
The graphic turned a map of Perth city centre into a heart, with the vennels representing arteries.
“It shows that Perth can be seen as the beating heart of the area,” he said.
Perth and Kinross Council plans to illuminate some of the vennels as part of its ambitious City of Lights project. The multi-million-pound scheme will see landmark buildings and streets lit up using coloured spotlights.