A new public art trail, The Watchers of York, is set to launch across York on 29 June 2026, featuring ten large sculptures inspired by the historic stone grotesques found on the exterior of York Minster. The free, family-friendly event will run for nine weeks until 31 August 2026, coinciding with the return of the historic York Mystery Plays.
Produced by Make It York in collaboration with the cathedral, the trail features sculptures individually designed by national artists. The project also incorporates creative contributions from students at York St John University and York College, as well as the York Mystery Plays and a local community group. The original sculpture, titled The Watcher of York, was developed by stonemasons at the Minster’s Centre of Excellence for Heritage Craft Skills and Estate Management before the production company Norse Sky fabricated the full set of ten fibreglass figures.
The sculptures will be placed in both public spaces and private gardens throughout the city. Residents and visitors can collect trail maps starting in mid-June from the Visit York Visitor Information Centre or view them online at visityork.org/watchers-trail.
This initiative arrives as the city continues to see growth in its tourism sector, which brought £2.01 billion into the local economy in 2024. The increase reflects a rise in visitor numbers, which now reach approximately 9.4 million annually, providing a boost to the community as it prepares for a busy summer season of events.
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