HELENSBURGH will again have an active role when the annual celebration of the life, work and legacy of Charles Rennie Mackintosh kicks off in a few weeks' time.

The sixth Mackintosh Festival, which runs from October 1-31, will see a display of work by local secondary school pupils produced through a partnership involving Helensburgh's two Mackintosh-designed properties – the Hill House and the Mackintosh Club.

The project will see Hermitage pupils create a giant banner with Mackintosh-influenced stencils under the guidance of an expert in the medium.

Lorna Hepburn, property manager at the Hill House, said: “The Hill House and the Mackintosh Club are working with expert stenciller Elisabeth Culshaw and Hermitage Academy pupils on creating a giant banner during the festival.

“The pupils have already visited the Hill House, and what they learned will be taken to the Mackintosh Club, which has a better workshop space and where the banner itself will be produced.

“The banner will be on display throughout the festival.

“Working with young people is very important in passing on Mackintosh's legacy of interest in art and actually creating artworks.”

The Big Banner project, in conjunction with the Lansdowne House of Stencils, also features at several of the other venues in this year's festival programme.

The Hill House is also preparing to welcome visitors from throughout Britain and beyond during the month-long festival, which also features events at the Glasgow properties which made Mackintosh and his work world-famous.

The Glasgow School of Art, Scotland Street School Museum, House for an Art Lover, the Lighthouse, the Hunterian Art Gallery, Queen's Cross Church and the Glasgow Art Club will all play an active part in the programme for the 2017 event – the sixth year the festival has taken place.

Other festival events will take place at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, the Kelvin Hall and the Glasgow Museums Resource Centre.

Ms Hepburn added: “A lot of Mackintosh fans now base their holidays around the Festival and we're looking forward to welcoming many of the festival's visitors to the Hill House.”

Commenting on the festival programme, Garry Sanderson, treasurer of Glasgow Mackintosh, commented: “This year’s festival is going to be a nice warm up for the city ahead of next year’s celebration of Mackintosh’s birth.

“The festival is now in its sixth year and we have a fantastic programme of over 40 events lined up over the course of the month in Glasgow Mackintosh and partner venues.

“Many of our events are free and we have something for all ages – including workshops, talks, tours, exhibitions and much more.

“We look forward to welcoming you to the sixth Mackintosh Festival.”