Ar n-àite (Our Place) is a powerful new landmark in the heart of Stornoway, co‑created by care‑experienced young people from Lewis and Harris and internationally acclaimed muralist Smug. Part of Articulate Cultural Trust’s national Gable End programme, the mural places island youth at the centre of their own narrative, celebrating creativity, identity and the right of every young person to access arts and culture under Article 31 of the UNCRC.

The large-scale gable end features two young islanders painted in Smug’s signature hyper‑realistic style, set against a backdrop of rugged cliffs and turbulent sea. The landscape mirrors the Western Isles while symbolising resilience, challenge and belonging. Their expressions, interpreted variously as longing, sadness or defiance, invite viewers to reflect on the emotional realities young people navigate.

Developed over two years through workshops in photography, visual arts and creative writing, and informed by research trips to Glasgow’s Yardworks Festival, the mural was shaped entirely by the young people themselves: the site, the themes, the brief, the artist.

Unveiled during the Article 31: Island Gathering, Ar n-àite has already transformed An Lanntair’s square into a vibrant public space. It stands as a declaration that the stories and futures of the islands belong to their young people too, and that creativity can open conversations that might not happen otherwise.

The Belonging Trail is the next major chapter in Scotland’s youth‑led mural movement, a digital, story‑driven trail launching in 2027 that will link every mural created through Articulate Cultural Trust’s Gable End programme. Think of it as a national map of creativity, care experience and place‑based storytelling, built not just to showcase murals, but to honour the young people behind them.

Laura Frood

Artworks