ELEPHANTS STORM INTO SCOTLAND

Today, Elephant Parade makes its first ever visit to Scotland. A herd of 28 elephant statues painted by top artists and celebrities has arrived at intu Braehead for a four-week exposition to help raise awareness and funds for Asian elephant conservation. The parade is part of the Elephant Parade national tour that is being hosted by intu in its centres all across the UK.

Elephant Parade is a global public art festival, which brings together the worlds of art, business and charity to create vibrant public art elephant statues that are sold or auctioned to raise money for the Asian Elephant Foundation, a charity that supports conservation of the Asian Elephant.  The Elephant Parade UK tour is being presented by intu and will connect with 30 million people during the 14-stop tour which concludes in August 2014.

For the first time, school children have been asked to get involved with the parade.  Thousands of school designs have already been submitted, the winners being commissioned to paint their creation on their own half size elephant statues which join the main herd. intu and Elephant Parade wanted to find a creative way of raising lasting awareness of the plight of the Asian Elephant amongst the next generation.

Youngsters from three Scots primary schools, in Renfrew, Gourock and Wishaw have been given the chance to design and paint six elephant statues as part of the national schools programme, which will also go on display in intu Braehead.

Marketing manager for intu Braehead, Lydia Brown said: “We are delighted to be hosting Elephant Parade’s first ever visit to Scotland. They say that elephants never forget and I’m sure the tens of thousands of shoppers who visit intu Braehead won’t forget the amazing sight of the Elephant Parade statues in a hurry. Seeing these vibrant and colourful works of public art is a fun way of bringing an important conservation project to the attention of the public. These elephant statues have become iconic around the world and by showcasing them in our shopping centres we are giving Elephant Parade access to a much broader audience.”

Mike Spits, Elephant Parade founder commented: “This year’s Elephant Parade national tour captures a wide range of artistic styles and representation from artists around the UK – a national tour with local flavour.

“As well as raising funds for Asian elephant conservation, we have been working with intu to run a digital showreel of children’s design ideas that will be broadcast to millions of people in intu’s shopping centres across the UK. Scotish students and children that would like to submit an A4 design idea can download the Elephant Parade design template from the tour website (www.intuelephantparade.co.uk).”

ENDS

For more information on the Elephant Parade national tour, presented by intu, visit www.intuelephantparade.co.uk and for images or to arrange interviews with an Elephant Parade spokesperson contact:

Harriet Powell: 07738160961  harriet@elephantcommunications.co.uk

Guy Bellamy: 07766 775216    guy@elephantcommunications.co.uk

Notes to editors:

1. To download high resolution images of the complete herd of elephants that are visiting Cardiff and for profile information on some of the participating artists visit the Elephant Parade social newsroom at: http://www.mynewsdesk.com/uk/elephant-parade

2. The elephant Parade national tour: Official 2014 tour venues and dates

·  5 January 2014  intu Victoria Centre/Broadmarsh, Nottingham (5 weeks)

·  11 February 2014  intu Braehead, Glasgow (4 weeks)

·  10 March 2014  intu Potteries, Stoke (4 weeks)

·  7 April 2014  intu Chapelfield, Norwich (4 weeks)

·  5 May 2014   intu Lakeside, West Thurrock, Essex (4 weeks)

·  2 June 2014  intu Uxbridge (4 weeks)

·  30 June 2014  intu Bromley (4 weeks)

·  28 July 2014  Central London

3. Join the tour conversation on Facebook www.facebook.com/elephantparadefan or tweet using #eletour

4. List of past Elephant Parade expositions:

1.  Rotterdam 2007 

2.  Antwerp 2008 

3.  Amsterdam 2009

4.  Emmen Zoo 2010 

5.  London 2010 

6.  Bergenhalf-size Elephant Parade 2010 

7.  Heerlen 2011

8.  Copenhagen 2011 

9.  Milan 2011 

10.  Singapore 2011 

11.  Hasselt 2012 

12.  Southern California 2013

13.  Trier - Luxembourg 2013