EDINBURGH.- Edinburgh Art Festival opens today with its strongest ever display of major solo exhibitions, group shows and art throughout the city.

The 2013 programme brings together more than 45 of the best UK and international contemporary art and blockbuster art historical exhibitions across 30 of the city's museums and galleries, artist-run, temporary and pop-up spaces.

In celebration of EAF's 10th edition, the programme places 10 new commissions by an international roster of leading contemporary artists across the world's festival city. Visitors will encounter site-specific artworks throughout Edinburgh in unexpected places, from the watchtower in New Calton Burial Ground, to street billboards, pubs and gift shops and Edinburgh's famous skyline.

Edinburgh Art Festival also features a daily programme of talks, performances and events for all ages.

Programme highlights

• Major solo exhibitions by leading contemporary artists including Peter Doig, Gabriel Orozco, Nam June Paik, Gregor Schneider, and Fiona Banner and 2 major exhibitions celebrating the artistic collaborations of Jeremy Deller and Franz West.

• 10 new site-specific commissions on the theme of Parley celebrating art that generates and depends on dialogue for its realisation. The commissions include Peter Liversidge's 'Flags for Edinburgh', welcoming visitors to the city bearing the simple greeting 'Hello'.

• Christine Borland and Brody Condon's joint exploration of dereliction and decay at New Calton Burial Ground and a series of live performances by The Complaints Choir, who will sing the city's residents' complaints throughout August featuring new compositions by Colin Broom and Muris among others.

• Nearly 200 one-off performances, artist and curator talks and art tours will take place at over 80 venues across the city including Gabriel Orozco in conversation with Briony Fer and Benjamin Buchloh and Lisa Le Feuvre on 'Mostly West: Franz West and Artist Collaborations'. To mark the opening of the Art Festival, Robert Montgomery's 'Edinburgh Fire Poem', one of the EAF Parley commissions, will be lit at dusk on The Mound. Further live performances in August include Sarah Kenchington's 'Wind Pipes for Edinburgh' at historic Trinity Apse, just off the Royal Mile.

For further information on the Art Festival programme or to book a place at any EAF event please visit the new EAF Kiosk on George Street or log on to www.edinburghartfestival.com