Community urged to BEE part of local Art Work
20th May 2014
The Mall Blackburn is inviting shoppers to BEEcome part of a local work of art by helping them to decorate their town bee sculpture on Saturday 31st May.
It is part of an initiative, named ‘Buzz!’ which will see giant bees in pride of place across Blackburn over the summer, creating a sculpture trail to attract people into the town.
The scheme, which will be implemented by Newground, the Blackburn Town Centre Partnership and the Business Improvement District (BID), is similar to that of Liverpool’s ‘Superlamb banana’ and Bristol’s ‘Grommit’. However, in Blackburn, all profits will be invested into a bee breeding project to help reinvigorate the local population.
The fibre-glass bees will all be sponsored and decorated by local companies and visitors will be able to pick up a free map, follow the trail throughout the centre and learn about the native Black Honeybee.
Management at The Mall have teamed up with local artist Alex Gallagher to create a community inspired masterpiece.
The unpainted bee will be in Victoria Court between 10.00am and 4.00pm on Saturday and shoppers are invited to come along and put multi-coloured hand prints all over the bee to create a dazzling work of art, which will then be finished by Alex. Everyone that takes part will be entered into a draw to win a £100 Mall Gift Card.
Loraine Jones, General Manager at The Mall Blackburn, said: “We are extremely proud to ‘bee’ part of this wonderful arts project, which we are sure will create a real buzz around the town!
“We are also excited to welcome Alex Gallagher to The Mall as she is a renowned artist that has exhibited in the Saatchi Gallery and designed artwork for our Bradley Street store, which looks fantastic.
“As a community based shopping centre we wanted to involve everyone in the design of our bee and I can’t wait to see the finished masterpiece.
“I would like to urge companies across Blackburn to support the initiative by sponsoring their own bee.”
Nick Riley, Director at Newground, said: “Newground has been working in Blackburn for 24 years and many of our staff were born and bred here.
“We all feel passionate about the town and excited about the regeneration work that’s going on at the moment, which is why we wanted to get involved in a project that’s going to help attract visitors to the town centre and increase spend and interest.
“There are some big names involved already and some really great ideas for the bee designs.”
No pre-booking is required to take part and everyone that ‘lends a hand’ will be entered into the prize draw. For more information call The Mall Blackburn on 01254 54455.
