Wild in Art

It's a Wild in Art world 🌍 Special thanks to Submarine Films for our brand new showreel and to Tracks and Layers for the animation.

2024 was as busy as ever and we are deeply grateful to everyone who has joined us in bringing art into public spaces, connecting our communities and supporting vital causes. Thank you for being part of this wonderful journey. Among the 36 events delivered this year, there have been 15 inspiring trails created with our charity partners, 18 seasonal trails featuring beloved characters from film, TV and literature and 3 creative collaborations with Royal Horticultural Society, Newark Creates and The Irish Nation in Manchester. We also reached exciting new horizons with our first-ever U.S. trail with Downtown Portland Clean & Safe and Portland Metro Chamber featuring 'Cat' from LAIKA Studios's 'Coraline' and in Denmark with Psykiatrifonden to raise awareness and funds for its mental health services. As well as continuing our partnerships with Aardman, Andersen Press Ltd., Walker Books and Penguin Ventures (part of Penguin Random House UK), we were all smiles with Smiley Company when 15 brand-new SmileyWorld® sculptures visited both Battersea Power Station and North Tyneside. We are excited to announce upcoming events with Break, Birmingham Hospice, Cheltenham and Gloucester Hospitals Charity, Clan Cancer Support, Demelza Charity, Havens Hospices, Julia's House Children's Hospices, LOROS Hospice, St Elizabeth Hospice and Weldmar Hospicecare and stayed tuned - there’s so much more to come! Visit wildinart.co.uk/events to find out more. From everyone at Wild in Art, have a Wild Christmas and best wishes for 2025. 📷 Sean Pollock, Scott Kershaw, Steve James, LAIKA, St Richard's Hospice, National Trust/Mike Selby, Brian House Children's Hospice

This winter, we’re thrilled to be back at Bristol Zoo Project with the Shaun the Sheep: Find the Flock trail, following our previous collaborations with the Bristol Zoological Society on WOW! Gorillas in 2011 and the Big Bear Sculpture Trail in 2019. Featuring the well-loved Aardman character, Find the Flock features twelve Shaun the Sheep sculptures adorned with festive and nature-inspired designs. The flock includes two bespoke designs inspired by the zoo’s endangered red panda species (Panda-monium by Tim Sutcliffe) plus its forthcoming Central African Forest habitat (Jungle Baa-nanza by Jodie Silverman). https://lnkd.in/e8-4AMeG #wildinart 📷 Doug Lodge

This winter we have collaborated with four National Trust properties on trails featuring iconic characters from film, TV and literature. We hope these festive trails encourage visitors to get out into the fresh air, experience wonderful art and discover these cultural and heritage gems 🎄 Find our sculptures at: Anglesey Abbey with We're Going on a Bear Hunt Winkworth Arboretum with Shaun the Sheep: Find the Flock Clumber Park with Walking with The Snowman™ Sheffield Park and Garden with Walking with The Snowman™ View all of our events with iconic characters here: https://lnkd.in/emrdHp98 📷 National Trust/Mike Selby/Brendan Burbage

Our four free sculpture trails are featured in The Guardian's best attractions this winter 👇 From Penguins in London with Fleet Street Quarter to Snowdogs in Buxton with Blythe House Hospice, Elmer in Doncaster with Doncaster Council to The Snowman in Staines-upon-Thames with Visit Staines BID, we hope these festive trails encourage locals and visitors alike to get out into the fresh air, experience wonderful art and discover new places this Christmas 🎄 https://lnkd.in/eED2-ek3

Our festive Snowdog sculptures have well and truly created an exciting buzz throughout Buxton, bringing the community together for a magical experience. As an organisation based in High Peak, it has been a pleasure working with our local hospice Blythe House Hospice on this joyful trail. “The energy and excitement that the trail has brought to our local town has been phenomenal, says Sophie Wheeldon, from Blythe House Hospice, Project Manager of the trail. “The outpouring of support, love, and interaction from the community has truly warmed our hearts. It’s a joy to see how much happiness this trail brings, and has allowed us here at Blythe House Hospice to grow the awareness of our care and services so we can be here for more people in our communities who need us.” As the season wraps up, the 12 large sculptures will be auctioned off on Thursday 19 December at The Palace Hotel, Buxton, with proceeds going to Blythe House Hospice. Bidding is open online for those who want to take one of these stunning pieces home and support the hospice further: https://lnkd.in/eJsnBrYv #wildinart 📷 David Oates Photography

Waddle into Christmas with our Penguin Parade in London 🐧 We've teamed up once again with Fleet Street Quarter for a new festive adventure, adding a splash of Antarctic charm to the city. Each penguin, decked out in unique festive finery designed by talented artists, is perched in iconic spots like Chancery Lane, New Street Square, Ludgate Circus and Fleet Street. By scanning the QR codes on each sculpture, visitors can support WWF-UK's vital conservation efforts. Donations will help protect these remarkable creatures and their habitats, ensuring they survive for future generations. An illustrated map has been created by author, illustrator and stand-up comedian Olaf Falafel and audio is also available to let Olaf to guide you through the trail. Visit our event page: https://lnkd.in/e4rb-hGK 📷 Olaf Falafel with Percy the Party Penguin, designed by Reilly Creative. Image: Mickey Lee

This #WorldKindnessDay sees the launch of Elmer's Christmas Art Parade in Doncaster! Twelve Elmer sculptures have brought plenty of kindness, colour and festive cheer to the city and will stay until the end of January. They are each decorated with designs inspired by well known artists. This is our first ever Christmas themed Elmer trail with Andersen Press Ltd. so of course there are six brand-new festive designs 🎄 A special shout out to our artists who have thought up wonderfully creative festive designs in the style of artists such as Picasso, Miró, Rembrandt and David Hockney. The arrival of the art trail on World Kindness Day is particularly poignant as the much loved children's book promotes kind acts, friendship and inclusivity, key themes of Doncaster’s Choose Kindness movement. There is also the opportunity to take part in a High Street Safari featuring 10 QR codes located in windows across Doncaster which reveal pages of David McKee’s classic Elmer Christmas along with augmented reality characters. This event is produced in partnership with City of Doncaster Council and Andersen Press, publishers of the Elmer books. See all the sculptures here: https://lnkd.in/esfMQGbX

We are thrilled to share the remarkable total raised by Coraline's Curious Cat Trail's Grand Auction - an incredible $324,500 for OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital! To Downtown Portland Clean & Safe , Portland Metro Chamber and LAIKA Studios, thank you for your partnership in bringing the first ever Wild in Art trail to the U.S. A special shoutout to the talented artists who transformed each Cat sculpture into a work of art and to the generous supporters who gave loving homes for each one.

One year ago, we announced the collaborative project "Six Places in a Different Light" with We Are Willow, aimed at sparking conversations and raising awareness around mental health. In partnership with charities Manchester Mind, Stockport Mind, Jamie Horrocks Trust, START and Bluesci Support, we hosted creative workshops for a diverse group of participants, led by artists Kelly Ma, Ekun Richard, and Tom J Newell. During these workshops, participants listened to a specially written album by Chris from We Are Willow and shared their thoughts and emotions while creating artwork. Inspired by these sessions, the artists painted six large head sculptures, which were displayed across Greater Manchester. Their striking presence literally turned heads and began conversations about mental health. Each sculpture featured QR codes on plaques, directing people to resources and the supporting charities, offering help and support should they want or need it. You can find out more about the project by visiting https://lnkd.in/ee4-89B5 #WorldMentalHealthDay The project was supported by Salford City Council, The University of Salford, Arts Council England, NHS Greater Manchester and LandsecU+I. 📷 Simon Pantling