Lincoln shoppers get a glimpse of cheeky imp sculpture painting

People have been getting a sneak peek at Lincoln’s new Imps Trail 2020 as artists get to work painting the statues.

A pair of sculptures, which already made national headlines for their ‘long-legged’ design, are getting a makeover in the former Lakeland building at St Marks.

The Imp statues are very colourful so far, with a striking bright green, yellow and blue coat of paint.

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.

They will be painted in public at various Lincoln locations. Photo: The Lincolnite

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.

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

The figures, complete with cheeky grin and unmissable dangling leg, prompted 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.