Make a bee-line for city’s special art trail
80 SCULPTURES WILL BE INSTALLED AT LANDMARK SITES
GIANT honey bee sculptures will swarm Manchester next summer as part of one of the city’s biggest-ever public art events.
The Bee in the City trail will see more than 80 of the super-sized insects installed at some of the city’s biggest landmarks and cultural gems, as well as in lesser-explored areas.
Each fibreglass sculpture will stand 1.5 metres tall and feature its own unique design created by professional, emerging and amateur artists from around the region.
The project is being brought to the city by global public art producer Wild in Art, whose previous work has included the Great North Snowdogs in the north east and Liverpool’s Superlambananas. Directors Charlie Langhorne and Sally-Ann Wilkinson were also behind CowParade Manchester, which saw colourful cattle form a trail around the city in 2004.
Charlie said: “They give a city one topic of conversation. It doesn’t matter what football team you support, everyone can talk about the sculpture trail.
“It gives people that shared experience and the opportunity to reconnect with their own city.”
The city’s worker bee emblem has been part of the city’s heraldry for more than 150 years as a symbol of the industrious Mancunian spirit. This year it has taken on an even more powerful meaning as a symbol of unity following the tragic events of the Manchester Arena attack.
Coun Luthfur Rahman, executive member for schools, culture and leisure, told the M.E.N.: “We see it as an opportunity to remain connected to the bee, which has been a symbol of Manchester’s industrious, creative spirit for many, many years, and more recently it has become a symbol of solidarity, defiance and friendship.”
It is estimated that the project will cost in the region of £750,000, partly supported by funding from the council.
Businesses are also being asked to support the project by sponsoring bees. Sponsors are being sought for the trail itself, and to support the learning and community engagement programmes which will run alongside it.
It is hoped the project will deliver an economic boost like that seen in the north east, where the Great North Snowdogs were credited with attracting 676,000 visitors and bringing £16.6m into the region, as well as raising £367,500 for charity.
The bees will be auctioned off after the event to raise money for the Lord Mayor’s We Love MCR fund, which supports community organisations and good causes around Manchester.
Sally-Ann said: “Bee in the City promises to connect, inspire and bring huge benefit and enjoyment to all communities through the power of our city’s creativity.”