BRISTOL INVITED TO ‘TAKE PART IN GIANT ART’ IN CELEBRATION OF THE ICC MEN’S CRICKET WORLD CUP
30 April 2019
This month, the people of Bristol will have the opportunity to get up close to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup action as the city gets set to host the iconic tournament.
Official ‘City Celebrations’ will be held in the city centre in the lead up to Bristol’s first match – Afghanistan v Australia on Saturday 1st June 2019.
To celebrate the world’s greatest cricket celebration coming to Bristol, a giant sculpture of a cricketer is being created and erected at Millennium Square.
Tying in with the city’s thriving art scene, the public is being invited to ‘take part in giant art’ by picking up a paint brush and helping paint the giant statue featuring the flags and emblems of all ten competing nations.
Over three days (25-27 May), new and existing cricket fans are being encouraged to come down to Millennium Square to help paint the ten flags and emblems of the countries competing in the tournament – Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies – directly onto the giant sculpture.
Painting slots will be every 30 minutes from 10am-5pm (25th-27th May). For the general public, slots will be on a first come, first served basis.
Upon completion, the structure will be unveiled in all its glory on Saturday 1st June where the city’s first match will be shown live on big screens in the square. The statute will then proudly be on display for the duration of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup three fixtures in the city.
The giant art is part of a nationwide celebration of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in which all 10 host cities will hold public activations to bring the tournament to life and provide the opportunity for fans to enjoy an authentic Cricket World Cup experience, watch the live broadcast of matches and celebrate the tournament action in a live setting together with thousands of passionate fans from across the globe.
All Host Cities have played an integral part in the promotion of the tournament, which has contributed to record-breaking ticket sales and mass participation during the Trophy Tour. The ‘City Celebrations’ will offer another opportunity to connect with communities across the country and develop more excitement as the tournament unfolds.
Managing Director of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019, Steve Elworthy, said:
“We’ve seen from our ticket applications just how big the demand for this summer’s ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup is and we are delighted to make the tournament more accessible than ever through the City Celebrations.
“The British public always get behind global events and our Giant Art will allow cricket fans, sports fans and the people of Bristol to come together to celebrate the Cricket World Cup.
“We know how creative Bristol is as a city, so we felt that this was the perfect opportunity to showcase its talent to the world and be a part of one of the most-watched sporting events in the world.
“The paint and the brushes will be provided so all we need is the people to take part. We’re really looking forward to it.”
Mayor of Bristol, Marvin Rees, said:
“Bristol is hugely proud and excited to be welcoming the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup to the city and we look forward to the city playing an integral part in a hugely successful tournament in England this summer.
“Bristol’s cultural, artistic and sporting heritage is alive and well and the ‘giant art’ initiative is a perfectly fitting way to celebrate this iconic tournament.
“The excitement has already been building towards the three matches at the County Ground in June, following the arrival of the Trophy Tour in the city in March and ahead of this weekend’s Super Saturday event and we look forward to continuing those celebrations all the way up to the tournament.
“We’re confident it will connect, entertain and inspire the local community with the Cricket World Cup in equal measures. We look forward to welcoming people young and old to take part, creating a truly memorable event for the entire city and a great way of showcasing our creative talents.”
For more information about the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019, please click here.
