February 6, 2020 9.35 am This story is over 49 months old

Lincoln Imps line up for public painting before trail debut

They’re braving the gaze of the public

They've been lined up in their birthday suits, ready for the transformation

People in Lincoln will be able to watch as the city’s famous Imp sculptures are painted ready for a new summertime attraction.

The sculptures, which already made national headlines when people spotted their ‘long-legged’ design, have bashfully lined up in their birthday suits in city venues, ready for their makeovers on Thursday, February 6.

Local artists will paint each of the 30 sculptures differently before Lincoln BIG places them at points in the city to create a culture trail.

The project is in association with Wild in Art, education partner The EBP and charity partner St Barnabas (which will ultimately benefit when the Imps are auctioned off).

This month, nine sculptures will brave the gaze of the public as artists Susan Webber, Jo McLaren Dunn, Alicia Hollis, Lizzy Mason, Sue Hetfield, Sofia Barton and Helen Woolley set to work.

The first will be Lizzy Mason, who will begin painting the Ruddocks-sponsored Imp at the former Lakeland Shop at St Mark’s Shopping Centre on Thursday, February 6 at midday.

Other painting sessions are taking place at Debenhams, House of Fraser and in the Waterside Shopping Centre later this month.

The new Lincoln IMP Trail statues. Photo: Mick Fox

The figures, complete with cheeky grin and unmissable dangling leg, propped calls for a redesign when they first hit the streets of the county in January.

While some poked fun at the “accidental tallywacker”, others pointed out they were a fun take on the original Imp at Lincoln Cathedral and that it’d be too late to change the design.

Lincoln has previously hosted two successful charity trails, the Lincoln Knights’ Trail and the Lincoln Barons’ Charter Trail.

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite