WILD IN ART UNVEILS MAGICAL WINTER ART TRAILS
GLOBAL PUBLIC ART PRODUCER WILD IN ART UNVEILS MAGICAL WINTER ART TRAILS
FEATURING GIANT PENGUINS AND MUCH-LOVED WINTER CHARACTERS THE SNOWMAN™ AND THE SNOWDOG
All events are listed on the Wild in Art website
Wild in Art has announced five, uniquely decorated, art trails around key landmarks, streets, and open spaces across Birmingham, Kirklees, Hemel Hempstead, Hitchin, and Winkworth Arboretum.
The global public art producer is collaborating with local charities and creative organisations to create a series of fun, free, family-friendly outdoor art galleries, shared experiences, learning programmes and activities across the winter months. Wild in Art invites friends and families of all ages to grab their snow boots, wrap up warm, and get ready to go on a magical adventure to get in the mood for the festive season.
Created by well-known and emerging artists, the striking art trails showcase giant, winter-themed sculptures. In Birmingham, a parade of incredible Emperor Penguin sculptures will feature in an enchanting, family-friendly walkable trail.
Inspired by the late Raymond Briggs’ iconic picture book, THE SNOWMAN™ trails will take place across Hitchin and Winkworth Arboretum, whilst his magical companion THE SNOWDOG will feature in trails across Kirklees and Hemel Hempstead. These hugely popular, wonderful characters will be brought to life this winter for everyone to enjoy.
The free live art trails are displayed across the various locations for a number of weeks throughout this winter. A farewell event will also be held for Kirklees’ winter trail Snowdogs Support Life, and an auction will shortly follow the event giving individuals the opportunity to bid for the unique sculptures, as each individual piece of art displayed within the trail will be auctioned off to raise money for charity.
With themes of friendship, imagination, adventure, and of course, Christmas, each sculpture is individually designed and beautifully created, showcasing the wealth of artistic talent each location has to offer – while positively contributing to the economic, cultural and social life of the area.
Wild in Art has set out to create a trail of discovery for everyone to enjoy whilst exploring our great towns and cities. This is an opportunity for locals and visitors to be inspired, get creative and celebrate the history and culture that the UK has to offer.
Each live art trail will have an online trail map available for download, giving individuals the opportunity to follow the trail and discover each sculpture.
Snowdogs Support Life, Kirklees also has an app available for download, in which users are able to spot and collect the sculptures and unlock rewards via the app. Individuals are encouraged to capture their own images of the trail which can then be uploaded to the gallery via the app. Users are also able to track their steps whilst enjoying the trail via the app’s pedometer.
Various free workshops, competitions and fundraising challenges are also taking place alongside the trails this winter.
Over 1,500 large and medium sculptures have been brought to life via art trails and learning programmes in 2022, and Wild in Art has commissioned more than 800 artists to decorate them. Over 145,000 children and 581 schools have been engaged in 2022’s learning programmes and it is estimated that over £470,000 has been injected into creative communities in the UK through artist commissions so far this year.
2022 Live Art Winter Trails
Snowdogs Discover Hemel Hempstead
Hemel Hempstead
Live art trail: 18th November ‘22 – early January ‘23
In collaboration with Hemel Hempstead BID, Wild in Art’s collection of ten uniquely decorated Snowdogs are waiting to be discovered from 18th November 2022. Find them around Hemel Hempstead town centre until early January 2023.
Take a wintery walk with the Snowdogs in Hemel Hempstead and enjoy a festive sculpture trail inspired by the animated sequel to the late Raymond Briggs’ timeless picture book The Snowman™.
@HemelHempsteadBID
Kirklees
Live art trail: 2nd September ‘22 – early November [RM1] ‘22
Wild in Arts’ Snowdog sculptures have been unleashed in towns and streets right across Kirklees, ready for friends and families of all ages to come and discover the whole pack!
Inspired by The Snowman™ and The Snowdog, the hugely popular sequel to Raymond Briggs’ classic story The Snowman, Snowdogs Support Life, Kirklees brings the magic of the Snowdog character to life this Autumn.
Snowdogs Support Life, Kirklees runs from Friday 2nd September until early November. It’s completely free to take part, with all money raised through donations helping to support The Kirkwood, who provide vital care for people affected by any life limiting illness in towns and villages across Kirklees, every step of the way.
All 67 Snowdogs will be showcased together at the Farewell Weekend which will take place on the 26th & 27th November at Kirklees College. Individuals will need to book a session in order to attend: https://www.snowdogskirklees.org.uk/event/farewell/
An auction will take place on the 30th of November, where individuals will be given the opportunity to bid for the sculptures, as each unique piece of art displayed within the trail will be auctioned off to raise money in support of The Kirkwood. Individuals can register their interest to buy a Snowdog at the auction at https://www.snowdogskirklees.org.uk/event/snowdogs-support-life-kirklees-auction/. Online biddings will also be available.
@snowsdogkirklees
Birmingham
Live art trail: 9th November ‘22 – 8th January ‘23
In collaboration with Central BID Birmingham, Wild in Art are set to launch a new and enchanting family-friendly walkable trail featuring 15 incredible Emperor Penguin sculptures, each individually designed by talented artists.
Attendees are invited to pick up a Christmas in Birmingham map and follow the enchanting trail of the colourful sculptures across Birmingham city centre at locations such as Bullring & Grand Central, Centenary Square and Victoria Square.
Find out more about Christmas in Birmingham here.
@lovebrum
Walking With The Snowman™, Winkworth Arboretum
Winkworth Arboretum
Live art trail: 26th November – 2nd January, 10am till 4pm, last entry 3.30pm
Inspired by the late Raymond Briggs’ timeless festive tale, The Snowman™, discover twelve giant Snowman sculptures painted by artists, with designs inspired by the song ‘The 12 Days of Christmas’ around National Trust woodland at Winkworth Arboretum.
@winkwortharboretum
Walking With The Snowman™, Hitchin
Hitchin
Live art trail: 19th November ‘22 – 20th January ‘23
Cala Homes and Wild in Art are bringing a free festive public art trail to Hitchin this winter. Inspired by the late Raymond Briggs’ timeless tale, The Snowman™, discover twelve giant Snowman sculptures painted by artists, with designs inspired by the song ‘The 12 Days of Christmas’ following the themes of friendship, imagination and adventure. The 10th sculpture is beautifully decorated by renowned local artist Sarah Graham and the pupils of Oughton Primary & Nursery School.
To download a free trail map, trail certificate and to take part in our online survey and tell us what you think of the trail please visit: www.cala.co.uk/snowmantrailhitchin @calahomes
For more information please contact:
Charlotte Hazell
Sundae Communications, charlotte@todayissundae.co.uk, 07584013144
Wild in Art is the leading producer of spectacular public art events that entertain, enrich, inform and leave a lasting legacy. It brings together businesses and creative sectors with schools and local communities through the creation of uniquely painted sculptures.
Since 2008 Wild in Art has animated cities across the world including Manchester, Sydney, Auckland, Cape Town and São Paulo, and created trails for the London 2012 Olympics, the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Historic Royal Palaces and Penguin Random House.
Wild in Art events have:
- Enabled over £23m to be raised for charitable causes
- Injected £3.8m into local creative communities
- Engaged over 1 million young people in learning programmes
- Helped millions of people of all ages to experience art in non-traditional settings
wildinart.co.uk | @wildinart | #wildinart
About THE WORLD OF THE SNOWMAN™
Originally published in 1978, THE SNOWMAN™ was created and illustrated as a wordless picture book by the late Raymond Briggs. Beautifully illustrated with pencil and crayon, the story follows a boy, James, who builds a snowman in his garden one winter’s day. That night The Snowman comes to life and a magical adventure begins.
Producer John Coates adapted THE SNOWMAN as an animation, which launched on Channel 4 in the channel’s inaugural year in 1982. The film was a huge success, earning an Academy Award nomination and winning a BAFTA TV award. It has been repeated every Christmas on Channel 4 in the 40 years since.
In 2012, the highly anticipated sequel was announced; THE SNOWMAN™ AND THE SNOWDOG premiered on Channel 4 on 24th December 2012 and was seen by over 10 million viewers during that festive period. THE SNOWMAN AND THE SNOWDOG takes place in the same house that features in THE SNOWMAN and tells the story of a boy, Billy, who discovers a snowman-making kit hidden under the floorboards of his new home on Christmas Eve. Billy builds a snowman and, with a little leftover snow, a snowdog. As the clock strikes midnight, the two come to life and Billy joins them on a magical, fun-filled journey across the skies to attend a party filled with snowmen and Father Christmas himself.
During 2022 Penguin Random House Children’s will be celebrating Ten Years of Friendship and Fun with THE SNOWMAN AND THE SNOWDOG as well as marking 40 years of THE SNOWMAN animation. We will be paying tribute to Raymond Briggs via a dedicated campaign comprising a series of special events and digital activations to ensure that THE WORLD OF THE SNOWMAN remains a central part of festive family festive traditions.
THE WORLD OF THE SNOWMAN continues to enjoy an international audience with global broadcast of the animation, along with an array of publishing from Puffin and consumer products; live and immersive experiences managed by Penguin Ventures. Snowman Enterprises Limited (SEL) is a Penguin Random House company.
