Colony of super-sized bee sculptures set to cause a buzz as they go on display across Manchester this summer
101 fibreglass bee sculptures will go on display across the city centre as part of the "Bee In The City" trail.
Last updated 18th Jul 2018
A giant colony of super-sized Bee sculptures is winging its way to Manchester this summer for one of the biggest public art events the city has ever seen
101 giant worker Bee sculptures, each decorated with its own unique design, will wing their way to Manchester from 23rd July to 23rd September, when the city lands one of its biggest and most spectacular public art events.
Organised by global public art producer Wild in Art in partnership with Manchester City Council, the Bee in the City trail will live in locations across the city and beyond for nine weeks, providing unmissable, free, family-friendly entertainment for Mancunians and visitors to enjoy, whilst taking in the city’s landmarks, cultural gems and areas they may not have explored before.
Our reporter Amy Scarisbrick went along for a special sneak-peek to take a look at them all:
The Bees were launched at Mayfield Depot, where the amazing array of designs and un-bee-lievable range of styles, techniques and themes, created by professional, emerging and community artists was revealed, before they hit the streets on Monday.
Iconic Mancunian designs include a ROCK ’N’ ROLL Bee designed in partnership with Liam Gallagher, a Hac ‘BEE’ enda Bee celebrating the city’s legendary nightclub, a Bee honouring one of Coronation Street’s most iconic characters, Hilda Bugden, plus footballing tributes to Manchester’s famous clubs Bee United and Mike Summer-Bee.
Music is in Manchester’s heart and adding to this strand are the Bee Live in MCR signed by A-listers the Rolling Stones, Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift, I Wanna Bee Adored signed by the Stone Roses’ bassist Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield, plus Bee Here Now, a design which celebrates the Manchester music scene as a whole, with portraits ranging from Oasis and Joy Division to Herman’s Hermits.
The Bee sculptures will make their homes at some of the city’s most famous locations including Albert Square, St Peter’s Square, Piccadilly Gardens, Spinningfields, and the Northern Quarter, plus further afield in The Quays, Levenshulme, Harpurhey and many more.
Sally-Ann Wilkinson, Director of Wild in Art, said: “Bee in the City is a celebration of Manchester’s diversity, creativity and culture. Each individual Bee represents our fantastic city’s many achievements, from its legendary music scene to scientific discoveries and industrial heritage.
"Manchester is such a unique city in many ways, and one of those is its ability to bring people together. Different sectors have collaborated to create this fabulous event, including the public and private sectors, schools and community groups. As well as a celebration of creativity, the trail is also a celebration of unity.
"It’s going to be a summer filled with joy as families and friends take to the streets to complete the trail. I hope that people will remember 2018 as the year that the Bees came to Manchester!”
Adding to the magic, further afield will be 131 little Bee sculptures, designed by children from 121 schools and youth groups. They are already on public display in city centre venues including Central Library, Manchester Cathedral, the National Football Museum and The Royal Exchange Theatre. A map of the little Bees can be downloaded from the Bee in the City website.
A Bee in the City app will be available for visitors to track and collect each Bee on the trail, unlocking offers and rewards at many locations. There will also be a trail map of the giant Bees which can be collected from hubs around the city before the trail goes live.
After the trail the big 3-D Bee sculptures will be auctioned to raise funds for The Lord Mayor of Manchester’s charity - We Love MCR Charity to improve the lives and life chances of Manchester people.