Play me, I'm yours

Ever been out and about soaking up city life when the urge for a tinkle on the ol' Joanna gets you? Well, later this month 31 pianos will be strategically placed around London to cater for such impromptu jamming needs. The fantastically utopian project entitled 'Play me, I'm Yours' is the brain child of artist Luke Jerram. The purpose of the display is to question ownership, the rules of public space and to encourage passersby to engage with their inner-musician.

This isn't the first time Jerram's harem of pianos have been released into the urban environment. The project was launched in Birmingham last year, when 15 pianos were scattered around the city's parks, shopping centres and streets.

Each of the capital's pianos will be decorated according to the surroundings - pound signs for the one outside the Bank of England, for example - and tied up with metal chains to protect against urban freewheeling.

The hope is that community spirit will prevail and that the pianos will act as blank canvases that will reflect themes in the local area. The piano has always been at the heart of popular music making and I think this is a great opportunity to revive its position as leader of the London knees-up.

The instruments will be in place until 13 July, after which they'll be donated to local schools and groups.