A YOUNG Alloa musician will help launch Stirling's first ever Street Art Festival, set for later this month.

Joseph Hewer is an Alloa Academy student with a talent for singing, songwriting and playing the guitar

The 15-year-old will be playing at a pop-up music spot as part of the ongoing festivities in the city.

He said: “I’m excited to be involved with the festival which is a great outlet for all the artistic talent and enthusiasm we have in Stirling.

“We’ll be bringing some liveliness to places like Friars Street and Murray Place and hopefully help get more footfall into these areas which are full of great independent shops like Europa Music.”

The festival, entitled "Animating Our Streets'', is a collaboration between Go Forth Stirling and the city’s traders and creative community.

Go Forth Stirling director Jon Walton, social entrepreneur Janie Meikle Bland and street artist Mia McGregor are behind the initiative, which aims to promote the city.

As well as hearing music, visitors will be able to contribute to an innovative art project by drawing and writing on eight 1m high by 1m wide cubes around the city.

Known as "The Cube", the display was created by artist Mia McGregor, who aims to encourage creativity at the festival.

Cubes will be installed in the Stirling Arcade, at Europa Music and the Sable and Flea Coffee shop on Friars Street, as well as in the Kilted Kangaroo pub and the Thistles Shopping Centre.

Mia said: “The cubes are all about collaboration and absolutely anybody and everybody can take part in contributing to them.

“They are a platform for people to design, write or draw something and the final artwork will be amazing because all these moments, stories and connections are brought together.”

Ashley Shields, manager of Stirling Arcade – where a total of four cubes will be based – said: “We hope this will brighten the town centre with a burst of new energy and colour but most of all bring the community together.”

Charlie Macrae, marketing manager at the Kilted Kangaroo, added: “I think it’s an excellent idea. We enjoy being part of community projects which are a bit different and it will be interesting to see what our customers draw on the cube."

Animating Our Streets will run from Saturday, September 22 to Sunday, September 23.