YSP named Yorkshire's 'Most Magnificent' Attraction

Yorkshire Sculpture Park voted Yorkshire’s ‘Most Magnificent’ Attraction

After weeks of public voting, Yorkshire Sculpture Park (YSP) has been named Yorkshire’s ‘Most Magnificent Attraction’, beating over 100 other popular Yorkshire venues to this prestigious accolade.

Situated in 500 acres of an open rural space just off Junction 38 on the A1 near Wakefield, YSP is home to permanent collections and temporary exhibitions of world class sculpture, and welcomes over 300,000 visitors every year. YSP prides itself on providing ‘Great art for everyone’, enabling access, understanding and enjoyment of art and landscape for everyone, whilst dismantling many of the barriers that often exist between the public and contemporary art.

Over 4,000 people voted for their favourite Yorkshire venue at www.yorkshireattractions.org, with YSP beating Yorkshire Wildlife Park into second place, followed - in order - by the National Media Museum (NMM), The Deep and Newby Hall and Gardens. All of the top 5 venues are members of the Yorkshire Attractions Group, and overall voting was dominated by the 21 venues that make up the membership of that group.

Deborah Hindley, Yorkshire’s Magnificent Attractions Chair, said: “We’re delighted with the phenomenal response we’ve had from the public during voting.

“YSP’s success in coming out on top in the poll is testament to its continuing dedication to giving the widest possible audience access to world class sculpture in an inspiring and welcoming setting.

“The top five venues, as voted for by the public during this process, are truly reflective of the range of high class attractions available to people living in or visiting Yorkshire – some of them indoors, others outdoors and many of them free to visit. Many have made significant investments in developments to further improve their offering to visitors, and Yorkshire really can count itself lucky to have such a variety and volume of superb visitor attractions on its doorstep.”

Peter Murray CBE, Executive Director of Yorkshire Sculpture Park, said: “Over the last 34 years, we’ve worked incredibly hard to develop Yorkshire Sculpture Park and provide world class contemporary art for everyone in the magnificent setting of our 18th Century Bretton landscape.

“We are delighted that visitors and the public have voted to make YSP their most magnificent attraction in Yorkshire. Given the wealth and breadth of quality attractions across the region, this is a tremendous achievement.

“The blockbuster Jaume Plensa exhibition combined with the opening of 150 acres of newly restored Historic Lakes and Woodland has helped us to achieve record breaking visitor numbers this year and our passion for inspiring people to get involved with and experience great art is as strong as ever”.

The Yorkshire’s Magnificent Attractions group was founded 10 years ago, and has grown to 21 members. The attractions work together - and closely with Welcome To Yorkshire, the agency responsible for promoting Yorkshire tourism - on combined marketing activity and collaborate on best practice to ensure visitors to Yorkshire receive the best possible experience. New members include The Hepworth Wakefield and Newby Hall and Gardens, near Ripon.

Ends

For further information on Yorkshire’s Magnificent Attractions visit www.yorkshireattractions.org

21 members:

1. Magna Science Adventure Centre
2. JORVIK Viking Centre
3. RHS Harlow Carr
4. Eureka! The National Children’s Museum
5. The Deep
6. Yorkshire Museum
7. York Castle Museum
8. Harewood House
9. Yorkshire Wildlife Park
10. Thackray Museum
11. Lightwater Valley
12. National Coal Mining Museum
13. Castle Howard
14. Royal Armouries
15. Xscape
16. York Minster
17. National Media Museum
18. National Railway Museum
19. Yorkshire Sculpture Park
20. The Hepworth Wakefield
21. Newby Hall and Gardens

For further information on any of the attractions in the group, please contact Rory ffoulkes at Bonner and Hindley Communications, rory@bandhcommunications.co.uk or telephone 0113 243 4713.
For further information on Yorkshire Sculpture Park contact Vic Collins, Marketing & Communications Manager or Nina Rogers, Marketing Officer on 01924 832515/633