The Big Sheep Trail is a free sculpture trail through the streets, parks and open spaces of Ōtautahi Christchurch,
lasting 10 weeks, from Saturday 16 January 2027 until Monday 29 March 2027.

A Wild in Art trail, 30 big Shaun the Sheep sculptures will decorate the city, joined by at least 30 little sculptures created by local schools and community groups.

At the end of the trail each large sculpture will be auctioned to raise money for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Christchurch.

Because he’s baa-rilliant, of course.

Shaun is cheeky, playful and loved by tamariki, rangatahi and whānau, making him the perfect character to bring fun, mischief and joy to our sculpture trail.

He also has a lovely connection to our mentoring kaupapa. Shaun’s bond with Timmy is full of care, support and connection, just like the relationships Big Brothers Big Sisters helps grow. We’re calling it Mentorsheep.

And let’s be honest, sheep are part of who we are here in Aotearoa New Zealand, especially in Canterbury. Shaun brings that local connection with a big dose of global star power, instant recognition and plenty of community excitement. With Aardman on board too, this trail has all the makings of something truly flock-tacular.

The Big Sheep Trail is a Wild in Art event supporting the mahi of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Christchurch.

The Big Sheep Trail is proudly presented by our partners Willowbank Wildlife Reserve.

There are a variety of partnership and sponsorship packages available to suit all budgets across different aspects and areas of the trail. Our team would be delighted to meet you to discuss this opportunity to align your business
with this un-baa-lievable city-wide event.

There are plenty of ways to join the flock.

Businesses can get behind the trail through sponsorship opportunities, helping bring Shaun to the streets while showing their support for local mentoring.

Artists can put their creativity to work by designing a ewe-nique Big Shaun sculpture that will be seen and loved by thousands across the city.

Schools and community groups can take part in the Schools Programme, designing and bringing a Little Shaun to life as part of this woolly wonderful adventure.

And we’ll need volunteers too. From events and visitor support to behind-the-scenes help, there’ll be lots of ways for people to join the flock and help make the trail a baa-rilliant success.

All the large sculptures will be sponsored by different companies in the region and beyond, the smaller sculptures will be paid for by different schools or community groups in the region or, a company has kindly sponsored for them.

Wild in Art is the leading producer of spectacular public art events that entertain, enrich,
inform and leave a lasting legacy. It brings together businesses and creative sectors with
schools and local communities through the creation of uniquely painted sculptures.
 
Since 2008 Wild in Art has animated cities across the world including Manchester, Sydney,
Auckland, Cape Town and São Paulo, and created trails for the London 2012 Olympics, the
2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Historic Royal Palaces and Penguin Random
House.
 
Wild in Art events have:

• Enabled over £30.3m to be raised for charitable causes
• Injected £5.3m into local creative communities
• Engaged over 1.5 million young people in learning programmes
• Helped millions of people of all ages to experience art in non-traditional settings

wildinart.co.uk | @wildinart | #wildinart

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.

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.

Integral to the main event is the Community & Education Programme, which will open to all schools and community groups in Ōtautahi Christchurch. We invite schools, youth clubs, community groups and children’s services to get involved and share the amazing experience of The Big Sheep Trail. The little sculptures complement and add value to the main art trail, showcasing the creativity of groups within our community. Once the trail has drawn to a close, the colourful sculptures will be returned to their creators as a permanent legacy of their involvement with The Big Sheep Trail.

The Schools Programme gives kura and community groups the chance to join the flock by designing and decorating their very own Little Shaun sculpture.

It’s a fun, creative way for tamariki and rangatahi to be part of the trail, while learning about art, community, connection and the mentoring kaupapa behind Big Brothers Big Sisters. Once complete, each Little Shaun becomes part of the wider Shaun the Sheep adventure, helping bring colour, character and plenty of baa-rilliance to the city.

Schools and community groups can register their interest in becoming involved in the trail until 3pm, Friday 22 May 2026.

Every sculpture on the trail will be perfectly presented – showcasing the wealth of artistic talent on offer in Ōtautahi Christchurch and beyond. We will be calling for artists to deliver designs for the sculptures and submit them to
us.

Designs will be shortlisted before the final artwork is hand-picked by our sponsors, and brought to life by the artists for display over 10 weeks in early 2027.

Any artist is welcome to submit designs – whether established, or just starting out.

Full Terms and Conditions for the Artist Programme are available via download from our website under the Artist Programme information here

There are two stages to the selection process;

Stage 1: the initial submissions will be shortlisted to 50 designs. Artists will be notified if their designs have been shortlisted to stage 2.

Stage 2: Sculpture sponsors will attend a selection event, where they will select their chosen design to adorn their sculpture.

Successful Artists will be notified following the Selection Event.

If a sponsor selects your design, you’ll receive a koha of
$1,500 (+ GST if registered) to bring your artwork to life on a
Big Shaun the Sheep sculpture.

We’ll have a dedicated communal artists’ space in Hillsborough, kindly provided thanks to our sponsor Online Distribution. It will be a well-lit, ventilated space with room for artists to work, plus tea and coffee making facilities, because creative genius still needs caffeine!

Artists are also welcome to work from their own studio. Please note that if you choose this option, you’ll be responsible for collecting, transporting and returning the sculpture, along with any associated costs. Big Shaun is not exactly pocket-sized, so please consider the size and weight of the sculpture before deciding where to paint.

Following the trail event, the sculptures will be auctioned on Thursday, 15 April 2027 to raise vital funds for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Christchurch.

We will appeal for artists across the country to submit designs by midnight, Sunday 28 June 2026. Of the designs we receive, 30 will ultimately be selected to become the decoration you will see for our Big Shaun sculptures, chosen by our sculpture sponsors.

Schools and community groups will decorate Little Shaun sculptures, using various means to select their chosen designs; whether that be whole group projects, competitions or selected individuals.

The large sculptures are: 1500mm tall x 950mm wide x 1500mm long and weigh approximately 35kg

The smaller sculptures are: 674mm tall x 369mm wide x 738mm long and weigh approximately 10kg

The sculptures are made from a mixture of class II fire retardant laminating resin and chopped roving fiberglass over and initial brushed-on layer of gel coat.

When the Shaun the Sheep sculptures leave the city streets on Monday, 29 March 2027, they’ll go into temporary accommodation where they are cleaned and touched up, if needed, before their next adventures.

They will then move to our Farewell Event venue. This will be your only chance to see all our sculptures in one place – before they go to their forever homes.

Each smaller sculpture will return to the schools and community groups which decorated them, as a lasting legacy of their involvement in the trail.

• After the Farewell Event, the large sculptures will be sold at auction to raise funds for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Christchurch.
• Each Little Shaun will return to the schools and community groups which decorated them, for their official adoption and as a lasting legacy of their involvement in the trail.

Once the trail has ended, there will be a final chance to see all sculptures together at Farewell Events. Details for these events will follow nearer the time.

Yes, the Big Shaun the Sheep sculptures will be sold at the charity auction on Thursday, 15 April 2027.

More information on the auction will be available closer to the time.

Yes – the bidding process and all the details about the auction will be available nearer the time. We will be asking those who would like to attend the event, or bid online, to register their interest via our website.

The auction will take place on Thursday, 15 April 2027. Following the trail, the sculptures will be refurbished by artists, bringing each of the sculptures back to excellent condition, before they go under the hammer.

Auction details are still to be confirmed.

Please check back closer to the time, when we’ll have these details confirmed.

We hope to have online bidding will be available.

The large sculptures are: 1500mm tall x 950mm wide x 1500mm long and weigh approximately 35kg

The smaller sculptures are: 674mm tall x 369mm wide x 738mm long and weigh approximately 10kg

The sculptures are made from a mixture of class II fire retardant laminating resin and chopped roving fiberglass over and initial brushed-on layer of gel coat.

The sculptures will have been outside on the trail for 10 weeks. They are happy being inside or outside but may require annual maintenance to keep the paintwork/finish in good condition.

We’re not putting an exact number on it, but let’s just say we’re hoping Shaun brings in more than pocket change from behind the sofa cushions.

Our goal is to raise a truly meaningful amount, enough to seed fund the growth of Big Brothers Big Sisters Christchurch so we can expand our mahi, support more tamariki and rangatahi, and work towards our vision that all young people realise their full potential.

Right now, our mentoring is offered within the boundaries of Christchurch City, but we dearly hope to grow the flock into the Selwyn District in the future.

Every sponsorship, donation and auction bid will help us get there, so yes, we’re aiming high. Baa-rilliantly high.

Every dollar raised through the trail will support Big Brothers Big Sisters Christchurch and our life-changing mentoring mahi with tamariki and rangatahi.

Funds raised will help us grow our programme, create more mentoring matches, support our existing Bigs and Littles, and reach more young people who could benefit from a trusted adult in their corner.

Right now, we offer mentoring within the boundaries of Christchurch City, but our dream is to grow the flock into the Selwyn District too. That takes serious fundraising, not just a few coins in the piggy bank.

So while Shaun will bring plenty of cheek, colour and fun to the city, the impact behind the scenes is deeply important: more connection, more confidence, more belonging, and more young people supported to realise their full potential.

Shaun the Sheep will be out on the streets and in public spaces of Ōtautahi Christchurch from Saturday 16 January 2027 until the end of Easter (Monday, 29 March 2027).

The trail is completely free and can be enjoyed over and over again, throughout the early part of 2027. However, there are lots of ways you can support Big Brothers Big Sisters of Christchurch before, during, and after The Big Sheep Trail.

There will be a small charge to attend the Farewell Weekend.

The locations of each Big and Little Shaun the Sheep sculpture are currently being decided.

10 weeks + a Farewell Weekend.

Details.

Yes, there will be a trail map available through the trail app and as a printed version.

We plan to have a variety of merchandise to purchase, but it’s not available anywhere just yet.