The Big Sheep Trail officially launches in Christchurch

Ōtautahi Christchurch is about to get a little woollier, with the official launch of The Big Sheep Trail, a baa-rilliant new public art event arriving in summer 2027.

Following the huge success of the previous larger-than-life trails, this fourth Wild in Art trail will see a flock of Shaun the Sheep sculptures popping up across the city for a free, family-friendly 10-week event.

Thirty big sculptures, each individually designed by local artists and sponsored by businesses, will be joined by little Shauns painted by schools creating a city-wide celebration of creativity, connection and fun. 

But this is more than just a woolly good day out.

The Big Sheep Trail is raising vital funds and awareness for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Christchurch (BBBS), helping grow mentoring relationships for tamariki and rangatahi across the region.

Faye Higgins, Manager, Big Brothers Big Sisters Christchurch, says: “Today marks the start of something special for our city. We currently support around 170 tamariki and rangatahi each year through mentoring, but we know there are many more who need our support.

The Big Sheep Trail will help us build on what we’ve created over the past 20+ years, growing our reach across Christchurch and, longer term, hopefully into Selwyn, so every young person who needs a mentor has one.

Just like Shaun and his young friend Timmy, our mentoring relationships are built on connection, care and a bit of fun, and we can’t wait for the city to be part of that.”

With international partners Wild in Art and the backing of Aardman (creators of Shaun the Sheep), the trail brings global appeal alongside strong local impact.

Wild in Art Co-founder Charlie Langhorne says Christchurch is the perfect place for the next trail.

“Christchurch holds a special place for us, and we’re thrilled to be back. This trail will celebrate creativity while bringing real benefits to the community.”

Previous trails have delivered major impact, including millions in economic benefit, hundreds of thousands of visitors, and significant fundraising for local charities — and expectations are high for another standout event. 

Molly Van Den Brink, Senior Attractions and Live Experiences Manager at Aardman, says:

“We’ve been incredibly inspired by the work Big Brothers Big Sisters do… bringing much needed friendship and support to young people when they need it most.

We hope the Shaun the Sheep trail will engage families, shine a light on this important work, and raise valuable funds to help it grow.” 

Now, organisers are calling on local businesses and organisations to get involved. Sponsoring a sculpture offers a high-profile way to align with a much-loved public event, support local artists, and make a meaningful difference for young people in the community.

With strong public engagement, international recognition, and a proven track record, The Big Sheep Trail is expected to attract over 300,000 visitors while boosting awareness and fundraising for BBBS. 

So, whether you’re keen to explore, create, or sponsor — now’s the time to join the Flock.

ENDS

Notes:

About Big Brothers Big Sisters of Christchurch

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Christchurch has been creating life-changing mentoring relationships for over 20 years, supporting tamariki and rangatahi to build confidence, resilience and reach their full potential through one-to-one connections with caring adult mentors.

www.bigbrothersbigsisters.org.nz/christchurch

About Wild in Art

Wild in Art is the leading producer of spectacular public art events that entertain, enrich, inform and leave a lasting legacy. Connecting businesses, the creative sector, education and community, Wild in Art brings people together through the creation of uniquely designed artist-painted sculptures.

Since 2008, Wild in Art has animated cities across five continents, including Christchurch and Auckland, delivering world-class art trails that transform places, drive economic impact and make art accessible to all.

To date, Wild in Art events worldwide have:

• Enabled over £30.3m (NZ$69.7m) to be raised for charitable causes
• Generated £5.3m (NZ$12.2m) in income for creative communities through artist commissions
• Engaged over 1.5 million young people in creative learning programmes
• Helped millions of people of all ages experience art in non-traditional settings

www.wildinart.com | @wildinart | #wildinart

About Aardman

Aardman is an employee-owned company, based in Bristol (UK) and co-founded in 1976 by Peter Lord and David Sproxton. An independent, multi-Academy Award® and BAFTA® award winning studio, it produces feature films, series, advertising and interactive entertainment. Its global productions are renowned for their uniquely entertaining and brilliantly crafted characters. The studio’s work – which includes the creation of much-loved characters including Wallace & Gromit, Shaun the Sheep, Timmy Time and Morph – is often imitated, and yet the company continues to lead the animation field producing a rare brand of visually stunning, comedic content for cinema, broadcasters, digital platforms and live experiences around the world.

This year (2026) sees the studio celebrate its 50^th anniversary with a roster of events and celebrations highlighting the craft and legacy of Aardman and the launch of a new movie, Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom in the autumn.

About Shaun the Sheep

Shaun the Sheep, Aardman’s family favourite TV series, is recognised the world over for its slapstick humour, distinctive look and strong, quirky characters and enjoyed across multiple media platforms. First appearing in Nick Park’s 1995 Academy Award® winning Wallace & Gromit ‘A Close Shave’, Shaun then went on to star in his own series, created by Richard Starzak which launched on BBC One in 2007.  Shaun the Sheep is currently broadcast in 170 territories around the world and is an internationally celebrated icon with nearly 6 million fans on social media.  In 2015 the first Shaun the Sheep Movie with feature film partner StudioCanal was released around the world to critical acclaim and the first half hour TV special aired as part of many broadcaster’s festive season. The feature film sequel Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon was released in October 2019 and nominated for an Academy Award® and was closely followed by a sixth season of the series in 2020. A festive special Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas was released in December 2021 and Aardman has recently launched a seventh season of the series.