Summer 2019 will see hundreds of painted Oor Wullie statues take to the streets of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, Aberdeen and Inverness, for Oor Wullie’s BIG Bucket Trail.
Scotland’s first ever national public art trail, which runs from 17th June to 30th August 2019, aims to unite the country as it raises awareness and vital funds for Scotland’s children’s hospitals.

One of the “Oor Wullie” statues in the 2016 Dundee Trail. Photo: Jeremy Briggs
The 2019 Oor Wullie BIG Bucket Trail builds on the success of the Dundee 2016 Oor Wullie Trail, which, as we reported, raised nearly £900,000 for the city.
Artists from across the country will be commissioned to paint over 150 life-size Oor Wullie sculptures in every possible design you could imagine – and some that you couldn’t!
No matter who you are or where you live, you can get involved, by becoming a national, regional or education sponsor; sponsoring an Oor Wullie sculpture; or simply exploring the trails in each city with your friends and family, or getting involved with your school and learning all about Oor Wullie and Scotland’s heritage.
Just like similar art trails in England such as the recent Manchester Bees, you can also bid on a sculpture in auctions , once the Trail has ended.
Funds raised through the trail will support Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity, Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity and the ARCHIE Foundation, helping children in hospital across the country.
Oor Wullie’s BIG Bucket Trail is a Wild in Art event, supported by DC Thomson Media.
“Oor Wullie’s BIG Bucket Trail is enormously exciting for all the team at Wild in Art,” says Charlie Langhorne, Co-founder and Director of Wild in Art. “Building on the strength of our previous events in Scotland, this is our first (and indeed the world’s first) truly national trail; and something we are all immensely proud to be developing.
“Wild in Art believes passionately in bringing communities, businesses, schools and artists together, and through the power of creativity enabling significant funds to be raised for our charity partners as well as having major social and economic impacts.
“While acknowledging this, we also believe that Oor Wullie’s BIG Bucket Trail will make the entire population of Scotland smile, and on the back of a smile, amazing things can happen.”
“We’re delighted to be headline sponsors for the Oor Wullie Bucket Trail in 2019,” added Eddie Hawthorne, Chief Executive & Group Managing Director, Arnold Clark. “This unique event not only gives people across Scotland the chance to come together and have fun, but it will raise vital funds for children’s hospitals across the country. We can’t wait to be involved in celebrating this true Scottish icon and helping to raise as much money as possible.”
• Oor Wullie BIG Bucket Trail is online at www.oorwullie.com | Follow Oor Wullie’s BIG Bucket Trail on Twitter | Facebook | Wild in Art is online at www.wildinart.co.uk
• Read Jeremy Briggs report on the 2016 Oor Wullie Bucket Trail
ADDITIONAL WEB LINKS
• You can donate in support of the Oor Wullie’s BIG Bucket Trail here
• Oor Wullie’s BIG Bucket Trail – Sponsorship Pack
• Oor Wullie’s BIG Bucket Trail – Education Pack
• If you would like any more information please email: hello@oorwullie.com
Oor Wullie © DC Thomson
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
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