A festive journey with a global twist, York BID is thrilled to launch this year’s Nutcracker Trail created in collaboration with local artist MarcoLooks.
The theme for 2024 is Christmas Around the World, with each of the ten Nutcrackers reflecting York’s diverse communities.
Each sculpture is different, representing a different country’s colours and landmarks.
Marc Godfrey-Murphy, also known as MarcoLooks, founded his illustration studio in York in 2018, after working as an animator on popular CBeebies shows like Numberblocks and Tree Fu Tom.
Known for his colourful, quirky illustrations, Marc creates everything from animal-themed artwork to York-inspired prints and playful gifts, all designed to bring a smile.
Marc said: “Designing the York Christmas Nutcracker Trail for 2024, Nutcrackers Around the World, has been one of the most joyful projects I have ever had the privilege to work on. From conception to completion, a lot of love and invention has gone into it.”
“For me, it was also important to make the trail accessible. As an artist with a visual impairment (I only have one working eye), I wanted to offer something to help the people in our city who might be blind or live with severe visual impairments to engage with the trail too.
“With the help of the RNIB’s transcriptions team, I have been able to add braille to the collar of every Nutcracker, to share which country is being celebrated on each statue. “
The project was created with input from the team at the City of York Council Our City Hub, a community group that helped shape each Nutcracker’s design to authentically reflect York’s diverse cultures.
York BID and MarcoLooks are very thankful to Bianca Vartic, Cultural Integration and Partnerships Manager, and many community members and volunteers who have contributed to the trail’s international theme.
Rachel Bean, Project Manager at York BID, said: “This project is all about celebrating togetherness and the wonderful communities that call York home.
“I want to say a huge thank you to Marc and to the Our City Hub team for making this project so special. We hope everyone enjoys finding the statues around the city, and hopefully find a new favourite local business along the way!”
The trail began on 14th November and will run until 1st January 2025.
To take part in the festive fun, maps can be collected from the Visit York Information Centre on Parliament Street.
Using the specific clues on each Nutcracker, match it to the correct country and record your answers on the map.
To be in with a chance of winning a £250 York gift card, hand in your completed entries to the Visitor Information Centre or Santa’s Post Box in Museum Gardens.
Young and budding artists are invited to download a Nutcracker template and create their own designs. Submissions can be sent to [email protected] for a chance to see their work featured in the York Nutcracker Trail 2025.
For more information on this years Nutcracker Trail, check out the webpage here.
