“Alloway Railway Tunnel: Telling the Story from Concept to Completion”
Want to hear the story of our amazing mural project? Join trustee Shelagh McLachlan on Wed 24 Sept at 2.30pm for one of the 'Highlights Talks' at the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum. This is a free event.
Alloway is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Ayrshire. It’s the birthplace of Robert Burns, and the village itself is set among picture postcard historic buildings, parks and is close to the stunning Ayrshire coastline. However, it did have one big, ugly, scary, unloved area…the old railway tunnel!
We have transformed this dilapidated tunnel with a beautiful mural, which we hope will be the biggest in Scotland. It’s not just a tunnel; now it’s an exciting space with colour, drama, personality and soul. It’s loved by the community who helped to transform it. We’ve given it a new lease of life and more than restoring the past we have given it a future.
Join me, Shelagh McLachlan, Trustee as I tell the inspiring, innovative and successful story of how the Artist, Chris Rutterford, trustees and over 2000 volunteers have worked together to make this community arts and heritage project happen, demonstrating the art of the possible.
The question most asked from our visitors is, what was the reason behind doing this project? So, we will start from there and explore the early stages of planning the mural.
I’ll then share the stories about the creation of the mural from preparing the tunnel walls, creating a storyboard, identifying themes, getting the community involved in mural painting workshops through to the challenges of installing a mural on this scale.
I will also share the stories behind the 30 short heritage films we have made telling the stories of Ayrshire’s vibrant past.
Finally, I will finish with news of the forthcoming themes we will be working on taking us up to completion in 2026 and our hopes to make this space more sustainable for the future.
It takes a village of dedicated people, real imagination and collaboration to make this work and shows what can be achieved when people come together in partnership to make a lasting change. Alloway is that kind of village!
Chris Rutterford the passion behind the mural says, 'it really matters to me to have something people are very proud of in their area.' If you have already visited the mural, I'm sure you will agree he's gone beyond expectations to create a work of art to be proud of.
Hope to see you there on 24 Sep at 2.30pm.
Booking is on Robert Burns Birthplace Museum Website - search under Events.
NB This event is now fully booked! There maybe no shows on the day and seats will be allocated on a first come first served basis.
