Children’s Classic ‘We’re Going On A Bear Hunt’ Sculpture Trail Hits Birmingham

There was an extra special reason to visit central Bear-mingham during the school summer holidays of 2024 after our friends at Central BID Birmingham installed its latest stunning sculpture trail.

Ten beautifully designed bears were on display across the city centre for families to enjoy, take photographs and support our hospital and charity at the same time.

The ‘We’re going on a Bear Hunt’ art trail was inspired by the award-winning animation, based on the much-loved picture book We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury.

Families could see the bears at Piccadilly Arcade, Great Western Arcade, Bullring, Mailbox, Corporation Street and lots of other city centre spots.

Central BID released a special trail map for families to follow and find all ten bears at the different locations.

Central BID Birmingham is the Business Improvement District for the city centre retail and leisure area, and worked with art producer Wild in Art, and the world’s leading independent publisher of children’s books, Walker Books, to embark on this creative partnership.

Decorated by artists, designers and illustrators, the giant bears on the trail celebrated the vibrancy, culture and creativity of Birmingham, taking visitors and locals alike on a family-friendly trail of discovery around the city, highlighting iconic spots and hidden gems.

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt was one of the many popular sculpture trails installed by Central BID. Previous trails include Snowdogs Discover Birmingham, Brum’s Penguin Parade and Walking with the Snowman, inspired by the timeless stories of Raymond Briggs.

Sam Watson, Chair, Central BID Birmingham, said: “We know how popular our seasonal sculpture trails are with families from across the Midlands visiting the city centre for a selfie while shopping.

“We were so excited to unveil the children’s classic We’re Going on a Bear Hunt trail and to see more smiling faces across the city centre.”

Charlie Langhorne, Managing Director and Co-founder of Wild in Art, said: “We were delighted to work with Central BID and Walker Books to bring the much-loved We’re Going on a Bear Hunt to life through a 3D canvas.

“The partnership was a great endorsement of the cultural benefits of our events, which brought fun, free, art galleries to communities and unique opportunities for artists and brands to reach new audiences.”