Global art producer, Wild in Art has teamed up with Walker Books on two new art trails for We’re Going on a Bear Hunt.
The new trails in Kingston and Birmingham will follow on from the successful We’re Going on a Bear Hunt art trail in Leeds, which ran during summer last year.
The ongoing partnership will see 10 bear sculptures visit the Greater London town of Kingston for a trail delivered alongside Kingston First from 29 March to 7 June inviting residents, workers and visitors to explore Kingston’s streets, parks, and landmarks in search of them, before travelling up the M6 to Birmingham city centre where they will reside between 1 July and 30 September as part of a trail funded by Central BID Birmingham, with more to be announced later in the year.
Independent research into the impact of the Leeds Bear Hunt found that the trail delivered a direct economic benefit of £5.09 million for the city with a GVA (Gross Value Added) of £2.3 million. More than 147,060 residents and visitors actively engaged with the trail with many thousands more exposed to the trail during the nine weeks the Bear sculptures were on display.
For the Kingston and Birmingham Bear Hunts, the sculptures have been designed by 10 different artists, with five used in the Leeds trail and five new bears showcasing never-before-seen artwork that captures light-hearted and thought-provoking themes including diversity, sustainability, climate change, biodiversity and more.
“Wild in Art truly excels in creating captivating sculpture trails like no other,” commented Pindy O’Brien, international licensing and market development director at Walker Books. “Their exceptional work in Leeds speaks volumes, and we couldn’t be more excited to collaborate with them to breathe life into our storybook in numerous towns and cities. It offers families a wonderful opportunity to immerse themselves in art and nature, all while keeping the kids entertained and smiling during their Bear Hunt adventure.”
Charlie Langhorne, md and co-founder of Wild in Art, added: “We’re delighted to be working with Walker Books to bring the much-loved We’re Going on a Bear Hunt to life through a 3D canvas. The partnership is a great endorsement of the cultural benefits of our events, which bring fun, free, art galleries to communities and unique opportunities for artists and brands to reach new audiences.”
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