The next Big Thing could be a real gas

A NEW festival is set to showcase several unique artworks, including a project that will see 500 people wearing gas masks freeze in their tracks as they go about their daily business.

The human installation, which will see those involved remain perfectly still in streets and businesses for up to five minutes, is one of many artworks designed to get Edinburgh residents thinking about what constitutes public art.

The Portobello-based festival, Public Art Fest, is the latest creation by Big Things on The Beach (BTOTB) in partnership with Italian association, GeoArte, and the Edinburgh College of Art. It will run between August 27 and September 3 and will feature three Italian artists, three Scottish artists and a number of small workshops.