Guardians of Bird Island is an exciting new sculptural work for Cannon Hall Park and Gardens, arriving in May 2024.  Ideas for the artworks were developed through workshops at Cannon Hall, in local schools and in the community.

During a series of art and music workshops, artists have taken school children and people from the community on a creative journey of discovery and wonder, all connected to the natural world that we live in.  The hundreds of ideas were developed during the workshops and contributed towards the creation of the permanent pieces of character-based sculpture for Cannon Hall Park. 

The artwork includes two large Gateway Guardian sculptures overlooking the lake, and seven smaller character pieces that form a story walk along the woodland bank of ‘Bird Island’. The sculptures are accompanied by a fun and interactive story walk where you can explore and learn about who the Guardians who take care of birds that live on ‘Bird Island’.

The project has been funded by Arts Council England and Barnsley Museums and Heritage Trust and has been led by artists Lenny and Whale, with the support from Barnsley Museums.