LEYTONSTONE: Arts trail set to wow (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

LEYTONSTONE: Arts trail set to wow

3:52pm Friday 17th June 2011 in Your Local Areas By Daniel Binns

STREETS, shops, cafés and even offices will be transformed into hotbeds of creativity next month as part of the biggest Leytonstone Arts Trail yet.

More than 40 weird and wonderful exhibits go on display between July 1 and 17.

Trail chair Chris Davies described the thinking behind the two week spectacular.

She said: "Many talented artists live in the area but ironically there are few places to show. Through most of the year viewers have to travel outside the area.

"But for two glorious weeks Leytonstone has delightful, intriguing, astonishing sights accessible in shops, cafés, streets, parks, the libraries and pubs where they normally go and additionally in windows, pop-up galleries and unexpected new venues."

Displays include intricately designed "Leyton stones", a photography exhibit of giant postcards, street installations, guided walks showing the area in a whole new perspective and a 100 foot square grid, each bit decorated with different works of art.

Residents are also being encouraged to display their own home-made pieces in their front windows as part of the 'Let's Fill Leytonstone With Art' project.

Organiser Hilary Douse said: "This runs every year and gets better and better as new people get involved.

“It's great seeing things appear all over the area as days go by."

The event comes ahead of the Leytonstone Festival which in turn will carry on the creativity between July 14 and 24.

Trail maps are available from Leytonstone and Harrow Green libraries from Saturday June 18 or visit www.leytonstoneartstrail.org for more.

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