Preparations underway for major Bristol art trail

It's a magical Easter weekend with dozens of unicorns in the city centre

Fifty unicorns are being painted for a trail across Bristol this July
Author: Ella LloydPublished 8th Apr 2023

Artists in Bristol are busy getting ready for a special art trail across the city and the wider West Country this summer.

They’re painting life size models of Unicorns in The Galleries this weekend, and families are welcome to come along and watch the process.

Emily Marshall is painting a Unicorn as part of the project, she said “It shows people that if you haven’t done this before, anyone can get involved at any level.

"A lot of people assume that they can’t paint, they can’t draw, but just maybe come and get involved.”

It’s not the first time something like this has come to Bristol, it started with Gorillas in 2011 and Gromits in 2013.

This year Unicorns were chosen to mark the 650th anniversary of the city.

Two of the mythical horses appear on Bristol’s coat of arms and have been there since 1569.

Unicorns are hidden all over the city, and can be spotted on top of City Hall on College Green, on the SS Great Britain, and carved into Bristol Cathedral.

Some teaser Unicorns have already been displayed- including the Guardian of the Forrest in Broadmead over Christmas, and Harry Uni-Kane at Ashton Gate Stadium in support of England’s World Cup campaign.

These will be joining a trail of Unicorns from the 3rd of July, which you’ll be able to follow across many of Bristol’s major landmarks, as well as Cheddar Gorge and Weston Super Mare.

Jodie Hancock is the project manager, she said “They will be in all our favourite locations around the city. You might even see one in a farm, in a paddock.

“So they’re all around really and again, it’s just a huge celebration of the West Country and everything it has to offer”.

Once the trail has ended, the two-metre high models will be sold and the money will go to the charity Leukaemia Care.

In 2011 the Gorillas sold for £427,000, and the money was split between Bristol Zoo’s gorilla conservation efforts, and Wallace and Gromit's Grand Appeal at the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children.

Two year later, the Gromits fetched £2.3 million at auction for Bristol Children’s Hospital.

And now a decade on, Unicorn Fest will be hoping they can follow these efforts.

They’re already planning their next art trail for 2025.

They’re asking which statue the people of Bristol would like to see next.

You can put your anonymous suggestions forward on their website.

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