Beware the pianos

Bristol communities will be waking up to find pianos have invaded their communities this month as part of a new art and music project.

The sixteen pianos are part of the ‘Play Me I’m Yours’ project and is led by local artist Luke Jerram, working in partnership with  the city council’s Neighbourhood Arts Team and the Colston Hall.

The pianos will be installed in spaces across the city from this Friday until Monday 28 September.

Residents are invited to play, paint or decorate the instruments to reflect their local community and it is hoped that local people will meet up with friends and neighbours to socialise.

In central Bristol, pianos will be available in Queen Square, Broadmead Podium and the Castle Park bandstand.

Pianos can also be found further afield in Easton, St Paul’s, St George, Southmead, Knowle and Southville.

The community piano idea has successfully worked in places across the world and amazingly including London.

A special website has been set up where the public are invited to upload comments, films and photos of themselves and friends playing the pianos.

To find a piano near you, visit: www.streetpianos.com/bristol2009

Project leader Luke Jerram, said: “The pianos act as an empty blank canvas for the public to express themselves and share their creativity. Disrupting people’s negotiation of their city, the pianos are also aimed to provoke people into engaging, activating and claiming ownership of their urban landscape. After touring the artwork around the world, its really great to present the my art project back in my home city of Bristol.”