Here’s a sight you never thought you’d see – a herd of giraffes roaming around Croydon, well a herd of giraffe statues that is. From August 21 to October 27, Croydon Town Center will be taken over by 30 spectacular giraffe statues in an event called Croydon Stands Tall.
This 10-week free public art trail celebrates the diversity and creative spirit of Croydon whilst raising funds for Crisis, which is the national charity for people experiencing homelessness. Crisis has 11 Skylight centres across Great Britain which are shelters that help the homeless find homes and settle in well, get new skills and find a job, and improve their health and well-being, one of which is in the heart of Croydon.
Croydon Business Improvement District have collaborated with Wild in Art who you may remember as the team behind the Morph statues around central London, to bring a large-scale public art event to the streets of Croydon as part of the London Borough of Culture.
The 30 8 ft giraffes are designed and decorated by local artists and communities and are joined by eight adorable baby giraffes sculptures also on the trail which are decorated by local schools and community groups. These smaller giraffes are placed around Croydon’s civic centre and spaces, libraries, and shops, for a delightful surprise for residents and visitors walking around Croydon. Why giraffes you may ask? Well these wonderful creatures were chosen because they stand so tall with their long necks and this is the attitude of people from Croydon who stand tall at all times.
To make the trail more interactive and informative, there will also be a free dedicated trail map and app that gives exciting rewards and fact-finding missions along the trail. As the trail comes to a close, Croydon will host a farewell weekend where we’ll see all of the majestic giraffes together for a spectacular finish. All of the large sculptures will then be auctioned off to raise money for the vital work that Crisis charity does to help people leave homelessness for good.