North Lincolnshire Council has announced more details about a horse sculpture trail, with local artists invited to produce designs, with local artists invited to produce designs by April 22.
The trail will, genuinely, be called ‘Horsing Around’. Ten life-sized horses will be placed in prominent locations in North Lincolnshire, based on winning local artist designs. Another ten miniature horses will appear in the 300-acres of Normanby Hall Country Park.
The journalist previously reported on the published near £50,000 contract by North Lincolnshire Council for the horse sculpture trail. It was awarded to Derbyshire-based Wild in Art and lasts until November.
It was to support the exhibition at Normanby Hall to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the birthday of world-renowned horse painter, George Stubbs, and involve engagement with local schools to create their own artworks. Not only has more detail emerged as to the nature of the trail, but also the council has emphasised the source of the funding for it.
Applications are open for people to design a horse for the trail. All forms of art are welcome, from illustration, to mosaic, to street art. As part of the process, artists will work with local schools and community groups to inform the designs. This will include the North Lincolnshire Museum’s group for adults with additional needs, Museum Makers.
After the trail has finished, sculptures will be offered to the schools and community groups who informed the designs. If they wish, sculptures will be auctioned to raise money for the Mayor of North Lincolnshire’s chosen charities, Hope House and Macmillan Cancer Support.
Artists can view the ‘Horsing Around’ artists pack online, design their horse and fill out submissions form for free on the North Lincolnshire Museum website: https://northlincolnshiremuseum.co.uk/service/artist-opportunity-horsing-around-a-sculpture-trail-around-north-lincolnshire/ . Submissions close on April 22.
The trail seeks to imitate the success of ‘Of Earth and Sky’, a local poetry themed trail run in 2021, which won a Hearts for the Arts Award. While the council issued the horse trail contract, it is government cash being spent.
The project is supported by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), a successor to EU funding no longer available after Brexit. Additional funding comes from Arts Council England through the Humber Museums Partnership, of which North Lincolnshire Museums is a partner.
George Stubbs completed much of the work for his ground-breaking book ‘The Anatomy of the Horse’, in Horkstow. An exhibition focusing on this connection opened at Normanby Hall Country Park last month, and is due to run until January 5, 2025. The park is managed by the council, through its North Lincolnshire Museums portfolio.
