Edinburgh's street art - gems to be found on every corner

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Forget Edinburgh’s posh galleries –the very best art can be found, for free, around the people’s republic of Leith.

In fact, the city is awash with murals just waiting to be discovered. All you need to do is get your best walking shoes on and go and explore.

Leith is a vibrant, creative melting pot, and tracking down the artworks will lead you into side streets and cul de sacs you probably didn't even know existed.

But it’s a fascinating tour you can take at any time.

The boarded up shop fronts down at Leith Depot - scene of contentious development plans which the community has rightly resisted - are a constantly changing gallery in their own right.

The drawings, sketches and writing sum up the spirit of Leith. They do what all artwork has to do to resonate - speak to the people who live there.



The recent Leith Late Mural Tour was fascinating as it pointed out gems which otherwise blend into the background - from a nod to Trainspotting to Eduardo Paolozzi, to the fabulous celebration of the old port at Leith Dockers Club.

It’s also worth exploring round Quality Yard to see some outstanding murals, and then spin round to Bernard Street and find the lane next to Sainsbury where one wall recreates the entrance to an old shop; another hidden gem to light up the landscape.

Down in Portobello, Windsor Place has a fabulous milkman adorning the side of a shop, while up off Brunswick Street there’s a superb tableaux celebrating Black Lives Matter.



The walk back up Leith Walk also reveals a host of street art - it’s always worth looking left and right to ensure you don't miss anything.

In the city centre, look for the two blue beats on the old doors to a Cowgate restaurant, the artwork on the side of an escape room business, and the fabulous red wings which have become a focal point in Candlemakers Row.

Opposite Surgeons’ Hall, a giant fish leaps across the side of a smashing chippie next to the Festival Theatre. 

From there it’s a short journey to Clerk Street where there are a few pieces of street art well worth checking out.

And if you want to see how art can really  transform our landscape, head to Colinton where a tunnel has become a stunning rainbow filled with paintings which each tell a story.


Keep walking and the Water of Leith will bring you back to the old port where more treasures awiat...



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