Art Outdoors at Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Maja Lorkowska, Exhibitions Editor
Two people walking their dogs in front of a sculpture
Erwin Wurm, Balzac, 2023. Courtesy Studio Erwin Wurm and Thaddaeus Ropac Gallery. Photo © David Lindsay.

Art Outdoors at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Wakefield 1 July — 1 September 2024 Tickets from £0.00 — Book now

Yorkshire Sculpture Park (YSP) is the ultimate destination for outdoor art, with a collection of over 90 pieces across 500 acres of beautiful Yorkshire landscape. It is home to artworks from all around the world, including  Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Brazil, India, South Korea, the UK and USA. Visit YSP this summer to discover the most dynamic collection of outdoor sculpture in Britain.

Explore the artwork in any way you like. You might want to stroll around the park and admire any of the pieces you come across by chance, or you could follow one of the Featured Collections themed trails. 

Rainbow Adventure is all about colour, exploring the sculptures along the trail while gathering as many colours as possible. The Myths and Magic trail can inspire visitors to create their own magical tales inspired by the sculptures. Animal lovers can choose the Animal Instincts trail filled with real and imaginary creatures and pieces inspired by the patterns of the natural world. For fans of text-based art, the Art of Words trail follows a diverse set of works that feature letters, some as a statement, others more focused on the lines and shapes.

Sculpture of a big handbag
Kalliopi Lemos, Bag of Aspirations, 2019. Photo © Jonty Wilde, courtesy Yorkshire Sculpture Park (3)

You can plan your own route through the park in advance too, using the online interactive map. As well as the pieces that have been at YSP for decades, there are works from more recent exhibitions and newer additions. Suhasini Kejriwal’s Garden of Un-Earthly Delights comprises multiple sculptures in the shape of exotic plants and succulents inspired by the artist’s home garden. Kejriwal explores the effect of technology on our perception of nature: species that were once unique and difficult to find, now seem ordinary due to the proliferation of online imagery.

Sculpture of two figure dancing by a lake
Tom Friedman, Hazmat Love, 2016. Photo © Jonty Wilde, courtesy Yorkshire Sculpture Park

You’ll also find the pink-hued Streaky Dance by Alice Irwin, a playful celebration of a body in motion inviting visitors to join in its joyful dance. Look out for Erwin Wurm’s Balzac too, a large figure of a man draped in a robe in white with bright splashes of lemon yellow.

There are so many incredible pieces of outdoor art to discover and the summer is the perfect time to make the most of YSP’s vast collection. If you can’t come for a full day, afternoon entry after 3pm is only £3 for adults. Parking is free, kids always go free too and if you’re planning more than one visit you could grab a Summer Visitor Pass. Take a look at the YSP website to learn more and book your tickets now. 

Art Outdoors at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Wakefield 1 July — 1 September 2024 Tickets from £0.00 Book now

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