THE STORNOWAY STORY
Our town. Our stories. Our future.
Stornoway is full of stories.
They are in the harbour, in the old buildings, in the boats and businesses, in Gaelic songs and island traditions, and in the memories of the people who have made their lives here.
The Stornoway Story is a growing community-led mural trail celebrating the heritage, identity and creativity of Stornoway through large-scale public art, storytelling and shared spaces.
We want to bring colour, character and new life to the town creating places that reflect who we are and celebrating our town.
The Stornoway Story is being created by the Western Isles Community Society as a long-term project to celebrate Stornoway through public art, heritage and community storytelling.
Building on the success of the Fàilte gu Steòrnabhagh mural, we are working with local people, young people, artists, historians, community groups and businesses to create a growing trail of murals across the town.
The first chapter is already underway. Now we want to see where the story can go next.
Whilst developing the project, we asked people how they feel about Stornoway and what they would like public art to contribute.
The response was overwhelmingly positive. People told us they wanted more colour, creativity and local stories in the town, alongside more greenery, better cared-for spaces and places that encourage people to spend time together.
They also told us to look forward as well as back celebrating a living Gaelic culture, our people and the future of the island.
Western Isles Community Society
Ten years of making things happen for Stornoway
The Western Isles Community Society was created ten years ago with a simple purpose: to invest in Stornoway and create things that make our town a better place to live, work and visit.
For a decade, our voluntary organisation has worked behind the scenes to bring ideas to life raising funds, organising events, creating public spaces and investing in projects that celebrate the people, culture and character of our town.
You will see our work throughout Stornoway.
Each summer, we fund and organise the planting and floral displays that bring colour to the town. Every year, we fund and organise the Stornoway Christmas Lights Switch On, creating a moment for the community to come together and celebrate the beginning of the festive season.
In 2023, we were proud to organise the Hebridean Homecoming Tattoo, bringing a major celebration of island music, culture and performance to Stornoway.
And our work has also left a lasting mark on the town through the public art and heritage pieces we have helped to fund, create and maintain including the much-loved Herring Girls sculptures and other artworks that have become part of Stornoway's streetscape.
These projects are all different, but they share the same ambition: to invest in our town and create things that belong to the people who live here.
With The Stornoway Story our opportunity to be even more ambitious using public art, local stories and community participation to bring colour to Stornoway, celebrate our identity and create something that people can enjoy for generations to come.
We are a voluntary organisation, proudly supported by the Western Isles Lifestyle Lottery, and our work is made possible by the commitment of volunteers, community partners and people who believe in investing in the future of our town.
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