Derbyshire's newest art sculpture trail set to launch

The Derby Ram Trail is a free sculpture trail which will see 30 decorated ram sculptures installed on Wednesday night outside key city landmarks, such as the new Museum of Making, Derby Cathedral and The Council House.

Organiser Derby Museums hopes the flock of decorated rams – set to stay in position until August 22 – will attract both local residents and visitors to explore the city.

Highlights include Bee Happy, designed by artists Rachael and Phillippa Corcutt to highlight the importance of bumblebees in Derby’s parks and gardens. It will be sited near Derby railway station.

Captain Stone, to be sited on Traffic Street, has been designed by Derby-born comic strip writer and artist Liam Sharp, who lives in California and works for DC Comics and Warner Brothers.

Tony Butler, Derby Museums executive director, says: “The trail offers something unique to all who visit Derby this summer and celebrates the artistic talent we have in this region.

“Our partner, Wild in Art, has created trails all across the globe, in cities such as Sydney and São Paulo, so I’m incredibly proud that this summer Derby will be home to a world-class sculpture trail too, and what better way to celebrate all things Derby than by seeing 30 huge rams in the most iconic parts of our city.

“Be ready for eye-catching colours, dramatic designs and magnificent murals.”

Rams based in mythical beast

Maps of the ram locations can be picked up from the Museum and Art Gallery on The Strand, or downloaded from derbyramtrail.org

The sculptures are based on the mythical Derby Ram from an 18th Century song, which, according to legend, was 10 yards high with enormous horns and a huge, flowing fleece.

Once the trail ends, all 30 rams will be brought together for the ‘Ram-union’ weekend, before they are auctioned off to raise money for Derby Museums’ endowment fund.

A similar art trail, of bears is set to take over the streets of Sheffield this summer.

It is hoped the Bears of Sheffield, based on the sculpture in Sheffield Botanical Gardens’ old bear pit, can repeat the success of the Herd of Sheffield in 2016, when elephant sculptures attracted about 175,000 visitors to the city and raised £610,000 for charity.

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