ART LOVERS will be leaping out of their beds this morning to go on a hunt around Swindon for more than 190 pieces of free art.

Free Art Friday – a global movement kicked off by street artist My Dog Sighs – involves artists leaving work on corners around the town for members of the public to pick up for free.

This year Sarah Harris is kickstarting the movement in the town with a mass-drop of art this weekend.

The 47-year-old from Stratton said: “I have been overwhelmed with the number of pieces that I’ve been sent, from artists from Swindon and from further afield.

“We’re just asking that nobody is too greedy. We want everyone to be able to enjoy the art but ask that people take only one or two pieces home, not ten, and leave some for somebody else to enjoy.”

As part of the Free Art Friday events, shop Jack Rabbit, based in Crombey Street, launched a street art exhibition, called Smoke and Mirrors, which will be running at the store today and tomorrow.

Owner of the Jack Rabbit, Jay Rose, said: “This event is about making Swindon as vibrant as other towns and cities across the country.

“We know that Bristol is well-known for its street art but there’s no reason Swindon can’t have some of that vibrancy for itself through things such as Free Art Friday.

“We really hope this exhibition will help Swindon grow culturally.

“I’d like to say thank you to all the artists who have been involved with the exhibition for donating their time and we are looking to holding more events at the store in the future.”

Around 22 pieces were up for grabs yesterday evening to coincide with the launch, and a further 170 will be scattered around the town during today.