One quarter of a million people visited Ipswich to enjoy the Pigs Gone Wild art trail over the summer, and spent an extra £1million in the town.
New figures have today revealed just how successful the public exhibition was for the town - on top of raising £200,000 for organiser St Elizabeth Hospice.
Not only did the event, which saw 40 large pig sculptures dotted around the town centre and waterfront from July to September, provide a financial boost for our businesses, it also strengthened people’s opinion of Ipswich.
Over 70% of visitors now view Ipswich as a better place for arts and culture, and 87% of people think the trail created a stronger sense of community in the town.
Norman Lloyd, Pigs Gone Wild project manager, said: “From the moment the pigs were first put on the streets, to the end of the trail, and from the feedback received afterwards, we knew Pigs Gone Wild had been popular and had had a positive effect on the town – but to see the extent of its effect from the research is extremely gratifying and rewarding.”
The independent research, conducted by Zing Insights, shows that 90% of people explored parts of Ipswich they wouldn’t have otherwise; and 50% said it has encouraged them to visit the town more.
David Ellesmere, leader of Ipswich Borough Council, said: “Pigs Gone Wild was a great success and one of my memories of the summer was seeing dozens of families out on the trail and exploring parts of Ipswich they perhaps had forgotten about.”
Mayor of Ipswich Roger Fern shared Mr Ellesmere’s sentiments, and said the trail was one of the best attractions Ipswich had put on for a long time.
Christopher Hudson, Suffolk County Council’s cabinet member for Ipswich, added: “We knew from the way the whole community got involved in Pigs Gone Wild and the excitement it created that it had been a massive success. These figures not only go to prove that assumption but also capture the true scale of the impact.”
This week senior staff from St Elizabeth Hospice met with Wild in Art, which works with charities to co-ordinate similar events across the UK, to discuss Ipswich’s next public art trail.
Details are expected to be announced early next year.
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