WORLD-renowned cross-dressing artist Grayson Perry could be on his way to York with his favourite teddy bear in tow if a city museum wins a bid to bring him here.
The Yorkshire Museum, run by York Museums Trust, has been shortlisted by the Culture24 to welcome the Turner prize-winning ceramicist for a unique Museums at Night event in May.
However, the museum needs public votes to ensure the artist and his childhood teddy bear and muse, Alan Measles, come to take part in a night of teddy bear hide and seek at the attraction.
Gaby Lees, assistant curator of arts and learning, said: “Grayson Perry is one of the world’s most famous potters. His teddy bear, Alan Measles, features in many of his works, with Grayson often describing him as the god of his imaginary world.
“We put the idea of having a giant game of teddy bear hide and seek with bears in our collection to Grayson and he liked it so much he named us in his shortlist of museums he may visit. We now need as many votes from the public as possible to make this happen.”
The Connect10 competition, organised by Culture24, matches artists with heritage and arts venues for unique Museums At Night events in May.
For Grayson to come to the Yorkshire Museum it must get more public votes than the other shortlisted museums – the Freud Museum, Courtauld Gallery and the Museum of Soho – all in London.
People can vote from Tuesday morning until 5pm on Tuesday, January 28 at www.culture24.org.uk/places-to-go/museums-at-night/art461881-Connect10-Vote-Grayson-Perry
If the Trust wins, Grayson Perry will visit the Yorkshire Museum for a game of hide and seek with bears from the museum collections, including a six-foot taxidermy brown bear, a teddy bear from the First World War and ceramic bears from York Art Gallery. He will also give a talk for the general public.
A full programme of teddy-bear events will also be linked to the main event.
As a part of the campaign, the Trust wants pictures of people with their favourite teddy bear. Send your pictures to @museumbear on Twitter.
Grayson Perry, winner of the 2003 Turner Prize, has had major solo exhibitions at international venues including The British Museum, Musée d’Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean, Luxembourg, 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, Japan, Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh, and Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam (2002).
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