For summer 2024, vibrant awe-inspiring Tansy Beetle sculptures were displayed around the city, each one a unique tribute to the remarkable individuals who have shaped York’s history.
York Trailblazers (from 1 August to 30 September 2024) was an exciting new sculpture trail by York Civic Trust and Make It York, made possible by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Known as “The Jewel of York”, the endangered Tansy Beetle was chosen as the emblem of the Trailblazer project, reflecting its special status as a York resident with its riverside habitat along the banks of the River Ouse. The Tansy Beetle’s perseverance mirrors the rich history of York’s trailblazers who have made significant impacts locally, nationally and globally.
If you missed the trail or want to continue admiring the craftsmanship, all 17 sculptures will remain on display in and around York.
Thirteen sculptures have been rehomed at:
- Askham Bryan College – two sculptures will be on display at a tansy beetle themed garden. This location is particularly important – you will see hundreds of Tansy Beetles out over the summer months.
- Park & Ride locations – one each at Askham Bar, Grimston Bar, Monks Cross, Poppleton Bar and Rawcliffe Bar (five total)
- Web Adventure Park (two sculptures)
- Height Designs
- St. Andrew’s Church (which formed one of the Community Groups involved in the project)
- Hempland Primary School (which formed one of the Community Groups involved in the project)
- St. Nicks Environmental Centre (which formed one of the Community Groups involved in the project)
Four sculptures are remaining in their original location at:
- The Bar Convent Living Heritage Centre
- West Offices (home to City of York Council)
- Fishergate Primary School
- Sanderson House (home of The Place)
The beetle structure was crafted by Tom Springett of Metalwork Creations to design these stunning metal works of art. The use of sustainable materials and carefully selected artwork played a key role in ensuring the project’s longevity and environmental impact.
The project was co-curated with community groups to celebrate York’s unsung heroes, working with local artists to create something unique and meaningful to them. The artwork canvases that once adorned the beetle sculpture’s shell have been returned to the community groups to preserve and safeguard for the future.
Visitors were invited to vote for their favourite sculpture, and the top choice was the stunning piece for ‘York Young Carers’. This was researched by unpaid Young Adult Carers aged 16-25 from the York Carers Centre. The sculpture was designed by Zoe Phillips, an inclusive mixed media artist who explores our connections with objects and the narratives they hold.
The group reflected that carers share similar experiences and circumstances but have unique stories in their own right. Therefore, it would be difficult to find one Trailblazer to represent them all. They felt the sculpture would be impactful if it enabled carers to recognise themselves as Trailblazers for the roles they hold, sacrifices they make and difficulties they go through for the love of the person they care for. They said, the sculpture design “should be not what it appears – with lots going on underneath”. The group were taken by the grace of the tansy beetle’s exterior, also the power and resilience of the driving legs and inner workings underneath the shell. They felt this gave a perfect metaphor for a carer.
Trails in the city always prove popular with residents and visitors, with 87% satisfied with their visit, as our survey shows. In addition, a huge majority spent time exploring and soaking in the city’s ambience, as well as indulging in the local culinary scene, dining in restaurants, cafes, and bars (62%). The trail attracted a local audience interested in their heritage. Over half of people surveyed, 57%, were York residents, and 94% of all trail visitors agreed that they learned something new about the history and heritage of York.
Andrew Morrison, Chief Executive Officer of York Civic Trust said:
“It is wonderful that the impact of the York Trailblazers’ sculptures have all found a permanent home to continue to inspire people that York’s heritage is rich and diverse. The fact that all 17 sculptures will be accessible for the long term shows that temporary interventions like sculpture trails can be entirely sustainable and make a lasting impression.”
Sarah Loftus, Managing Director of Make It York, said:
“The York Trailblazers Project has had a profound impact, drawing in visitors and fostering a sense of pride within the community. It showcased local talent, celebrated creativity, and brought people together to explore York in a new way. It’s wonderful that the sculptures will remain in the city, allowing everyone to continue admiring these artistic treasures for years to come.”
Janice Dunphy, Managing Director of Web Adventure Park said:
“We are thrilled to be the custodians of two Tansy Beetle Sculptures which have taken pride of place in the park. We intend to use them to educate our visitors about this scarce species and hopefully encourage children to take an interest in nature and our amazing wildlife, we will add some information on to the base of the sculpture.
The connection between the park – which used to be called ‘Creepy Crawlies’, and the fact that Wigginton village name derives from the Olde English pre-7th Century personal name “Wicga”, meaning “a beetle”. This coupled with the fact that the Web will celebrate the twenty years of opening in October makes it a perfect time for the sculptures to arrive.”
Lucy Mottram, Marketing Manager for First Bus in North & West Yorkshire, said:
“We were delighted to support the continued display of the beetle sculptures. Plans are being developed to create new community artworks for each ‘shell’ which we’re sure will intrigue the millions of customers using Park and Ride.”
Dr Tim Whitaker, Principal at Askham Bryan College, said:
“These tansy beetle sculptures have made a fantastic addition to the grounds at Askham Bryan College and can be seen in our Wildlife Park which is open to the public and by our main reception building. As members of the Tansy Beetle Action Group, we are working to conserve the local tansy beetle through our Tansy Ark sites in our wildlife park and by our farm.”
You can find more information and watch ‘Trailblazing Stories: Films and Futures’ – celebrating the project’s innovative digital commissions – at: visityork.org/york-trailblazers
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PRESS RELEASE: 11 October 2024
Notes to Editors
Contact: comms@makeityork.com
Tansy beetle facts:
- The river Ouse has the largest population of tansy beetles in the UK.
- Tansy beetles rarely fly; they find new food-plants and habitats by walking.
- Tansy beetles are being monitored and bred in captivity to ensure that the populations do not disappear.
Trailblazers project facts:
- National Lottery Heritage Fund Grant: £249,999.
- Over 40 community groups have been involved.
- Over 1,000 schoolchildren participated in school workshops.
- £30,000 of community grants awarded to 23 local groups.
- Over 150 workshops have been delivered.
- 39 York Trailblazers have been researched and celebrated.
- 17 Tansy Beetle Trailblazer Sculptures have been created.
The project has only been made possible by the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund and players of the Lottery. To date the project has delivered:
- A community workshop programme to allow local communities and residents to research and uncover new trailblazers for York.
- A community grants programme to enable heritage organisations, voluntary and community groups to contribute to the project especially those groups who have not accessed heritage activities before.
- A digital arts project to help celebrate York’s designation as a UNESCO Creative City of Media Arts.
- A heritage trail around the city working with local artists and local communities inspired by York’s lesser-known heritage stories.
- A school workshop programme and resource packs providing opportunities for young people to learn more about their local heritage and in particular the trailblazers that will be part of the sculpture trail.
Sustainability:
The 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 choice of sustainable materials and artwork and the decoration of each sculpture has been developed by the partnership of the artist and local communities. It is this process of sustainable co-production that is as important as the finished product.
Tansy beetle metalwork:
Commissioned to create the beetle structure, Tom Springett, Metalwork Creations, drew upon his rich background of experiences, from working within set-construction, visual merchandising, architectural metalwork and art fabrication industries, to create these magnificent metal works of art.
About Make It York
Make It York’s purpose is to develop and promote the city and its surroundings – nationally and internationally – as a vibrant and attractive place to live, visit, study, work and do business. Its mission is to grow the economic prosperity and wider wellbeing of York and its citizens. In practice, this means delivering a range of projects and programmes based around our corporate strategic priorities. These are: City positioning and profile-raising; Ensuring an exciting city centre; Delivering the city’s ground-breaking Cultural Strategy. MakeItYork.com
About York Civic Trust
York Civic Trust champions the heritage of York in all of its diversity. Thanks to the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund for the work of York Civic Trust we have been able to work with partners across the city to celebrate people from our communities who expand what heritage means in York.
For nearly 80 years the Civic Trust has installed over 150 blue plaques, conserved and restored historic buildings and places and helped develop the city in ways that maintain what is special about York. Anyone can become a member of the Civic Trust and be part of our celebrations of York’s heritage through our events programme, publications and our museum at Fairfax House and influence how our beautiful city develops for the future. yorkcivictrust.co.uk
