York Trailblazers

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs

What is the York Trailblazers Project?

The York Trailblazers Project is the latest trail to arrive in York, designed to showcase the incredible people from York that have made history. These trailblazers will be each represented on a sculpture of a tansy beetle, symbolising the inspiring work of each trailblazer.

The York Trailblazers Project is a partnership between York Civic Trust, Make it York and a wide range of community and heritage groups, artists and residents of York funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

What is the goal of the York Trailblazers Project?

The aim of the Trailblazers Project is to provide opportunities for York’s residents to discover these lesser known people, many of whom are from their own neighbourhoods, who have made a difference to people’s lives either locally or globally.

The ethos of the project is one of co-production where local communities are supported by the project curator to lead the research, design and creation of artwork, sculptures and events. The artists, manufacturers and businesses involved in the project are all from the York area helping to benefit York’s local economy.

What is the significance of the tansy beetle?

Known as “The Jewel of York”, tansy beetles can be found on the bankside of the River Ouse, which hosts the highest population of the beetle. Near the station you’ll find the iconic piece of artwork of the tansy beetle, in turn inspiring the design of the 17 sculptures.

How many sculptures will there be?

There will be 17 trailblazer sculptures to find around York. See a list of the sculptures here.

Are all the sculptures the same?

All the sculptures are the same base model, but they will all be designed by artists with different designs.

Where is the trail?

The trail will guide people around York’s cobbled streets and hidden gardens. The free trail maps will be available from the Visitor Information Centre on Parliament Street or can be downloaded online prior to the event.

Will the trail be accessible?

Make It York is proud to organise many free events and festivals throughout the year for residents and visitors to enjoy. We are committed to ensuring that everyone can participate, with access requirements in place to support with additional needs. You can view our accessibility guide here.

How long will the sculptures be out for?

The sculptures will be out for 2 months, from 1^st August until the 30^th September. Some of the sculpture artwork may only exist for a few weeks, but the tansy beetle itself and an accessible digital record of the artwork will be able to continue to celebrate York’s Trailblazers.

What are the sculptures made from?

The sculptures were created by production company Metalworks Creations, based in Sheriff Hutton, North Yorkshire, in collaboration with OC Theatrical.

The tansy beetle sculpture trail has been designed to be as sustainable as possible. The materials used are recycled, repurposed or recyclable and the sculptures and the reused bases will be repurposed or recycled after the trail has ended.

The trail is unlike other sculpture trails. It is not made from plastic which has an incredible longevity – often to the detriment of our environment. Each sculpture has been produced by local artists and crafters working with local people to create something unique and meaningful to them. The choice of sustainable materials and artwork and the decoration of each sculpture has been developed by the partnership of the artist and local communities. For this project it is this process of sustainable co-production that is as important as the finished product.

Who painted the sculptures?

The sculptures are painted by UK artists. To find out more about the individual artists, click here.

How long will the trail take to walk around?

The immediate city centre trail will take around 4 hours, with a sculpture further afield in Acomb in addition to this. We recommend enjoying a bike ride around the city - discover the cycling route for the trail here.

What are the opening times for the trail?

The sculptures will be in place every day. Certain venues may have access restrictions on timings - these will all be displayed online.

Do I need tickets?

No, this trail is free to attend.

Why is a sculpture missing?

We hope this doesn’t happen, however, if you find a beetle missing then we may have taken it for repair. Some of the sculpture artwork may only exist for a few weeks, and our website and social channels will keep you updated of any beetles that have temporarily or permanently been removed.