Call for talent to be displayed in charity spectacular.
Artists, both well-known and, as yet, undiscovered are invited to submit designs for The Big Sleuth’s Sun Bears. Download an artist pack from www.thebigsleuth.co.uk/artists and submit ideas online before midnight on Monday 2nd January 2017 to be in with a chance of seeing your Sun Bear design on display in Birmingham and its surrounding areas next summer.
Featuring Wild in Art’s latest sculpture of a Sun Bear, created specifically for Birmingham, The Big Sleuth will see over one hundred giant bear sculptures displayed across the city as it’s transformed into an open air, free to view art event to help raise funds for Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity.
The Big Sleuth – so named because sleuth is the collective noun for a group of bears – will bring together business and creative sectors with local communities to celebrate Birmingham’s heritage, and showcase its rich and diverse cultural offer.
Designs for the Sun Bears, also known as Honey Bears, are sought in any art form – including traditional to new media, fine art to illustrations, graffiti and mosaic. Successful Sun Bear designs will be presented to the event’s sponsors in February and commissioned artists will receive an honorarium of £850.
Whatever the art form, artists should aim to add drama, fun and a creative flourish to The Big Sleuth sculpture trail with their artwork. At the end of the event, the sculptures will be sold at auction to raise much-needed funds for Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity.
Sally-Ann Wilkinson, Director at Wild in Art, said: “This is an exceptional opportunity for you to help The Big Sleuth transform Birmingham into a fun, free art gallery and have thousands of people enjoy your creativity, while raising valuable funds for a fantastic cause. With your involvement, we look forward to presenting a very special creative showcase.”
Following the flying success of The Big Hoot, Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity and creative producers Wild in Art have teamed up once again to bring a bear-illiant sequel to Birmingham in the summer of 2017. The Big Hoot attracted more than 800,000 visitors and raised over £625,000 for Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity.
Louise McCathie, Director of Fundraising at Birmingham Children’s Hospital, said: “The Big Sleuth is a hugely important project to us here at Birmingham Children’s Hospital. Not only will it inspire civic pride throughout the city and boost health and well-being, but through your creativity and artistic flair we hope to raise upwards of half a million pounds to support the pioneering work we do here each day.”
A free, family-friendly event, The Big Sleuth will see 100 giant bear sculptures (and bear cubs created by schools and young people) leave their paw prints all over the West Midlands as the city gets set to be known as Bear-mingham in 2017.
