Crowd gathers in sunshine for launch of Great Yarmouth's new art trail

A ceremonial unveiling of the Yarn with Ernie sculpture in the town's recently revamped Market Place was followed by speeches from Henry Cator OBE, High Steward of Great Yarmouth, Chair of Great Yarmouth Town Deal Board and Deputy Lieutenant of Norfolk, as well as the Mayor of the Borough of Great Yarmouth, Councillor Carl Annison.

Several of the artists who created pieces for the trail were also at the launch where they mingled with guests to talk about their specially commissioned works. Great Yarmouth Heritage Guides then led tours of the sculptures and distributed free maps of the route.

Among the guests was Inna Yehorova, Second Secretary of the Ukrainian Embassy, and former Sheriff of the City of London, Andrew Marsden. Both were present in honour of Alex Lidagovsky - whose seven-metre-tall Tightrope Walker is the UK's first permanent sculpture by a Ukrainian artist. Ms Yehorova and Mr Marsden gave short speeches at the site of Tightrope Walker, close to Marine Parade in Trafalgar Road.

The free outdoor gallery follows a circular route from the Market Place to the seafront, taking in St George's Road and park, Regent Road and Church Plain. Each artwork has an interpretation board for people to learn more. A free map of the trail is available at the new library in The Place, the Town Hall, Great Yarmouth Minster, the town's railway station and the Marina Centre on the seafront.

The trail has 12 artworks and includes a unique hand-crafted section of tiled paving outside Christchurch created by Great Yarmouth's Reprezent Project to reflect the cultural impact of the town's Portuguese community.

The £330,000 trail was entirely funded by the Government via Town Deal finance, with the money being ring-fenced for use only on the artworks to create a major new cultural asset for the town.

The council also secured an additional £50,000 of Government Future High Streets funding to commission Yarn with Ernie in the Market Place.

Speaking at the launch, Councillor Annison, said: ''This free, open-air gallery helps tell our story - a town shaped by the sea, rich in medieval and maritime history, and alive with energy, creativity and community.

''Each piece reflects a different thread of our town's identity — be it our heritage in the arts, our seaside character, our pioneering work in transport and energy, or the strong roots that connect us to communities near and far.

''I would like to thank all of the artists who have contributed their talent and vision to this wonderful and inspiring trail. And I would like to thank the Government for its generous support in making this project possible. Its continued investment in culture and community spaces is helping to shape a brighter, more vibrant future for our town.''