Shoppers can now watch Pride of Yorkshire lions being painted inspired by Doncaster Rovers and racecourse
Visitors to Meadowhall can now see life-sized lion sculptures being designed in front of their eyes as part of Pride of Yorkshire, the major public art trail taking place this summer, raising money for Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity.
A dedicated Pride of Yorkshire studio has opened on the Upper Avenue, where shoppers can watch artists hand-painting the sculptures, view designs up close and learn more about the project ahead of the trail’s launch in summer 2026.
Visitors can stop and watch the artists at work throughout the day, with each visit offering a different glimpse as the blank sculptures gradually transform into finished artworks.
Among the first artists working in the space are Barnsley artist Adam Briscoe, creating a pair of lions celebrating Doncaster Rovers, Sheffield painter Amadora, who is working on a Doncaster Racecourse-inspired lioness, and illustrator Christy Johnson from Worcester, inspired by her love of birds.
The trail, which celebrates 150 years of Sheffield Children’s Hospital, will feature 150 large lion and lioness sculptures and 150 lion cubs displayed across Sheffield, Barnsley, Rotherham and Doncaster between June and September 2026.
Alongside hosting the public studio, Meadowhall has also been confirmed as the Presenting Partner for Pride of Yorkshire.
The centre will host several sculptures during the summer, creating a mini-trail for visitors to discover, and will stage the popular Farewell Event in autumn 2026, when all sculptures will be brought together for the final time before being auctioned to raise funds for Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity.
Cheryl Davidson, project lead for Pride of Yorkshire, said: “We’re thrilled to be working with Meadowhall once again. They played a huge role in the success of Herd of Sheffield and Bears of Sheffield and having them as Presenting Partner means even more families will be able to discover the trail.”
Darren Pearce, centre director at Meadowhall said: “It’s fantastic to be supporting Sheffield Children's Hospital Charity once again - it’s always been a joy to bring the community together and help to raise vital funds.
“I’m so pleased we’ve been able to go a step further this year and offer visitors the behind-the-scenes chance to see the sculptures come to life. We hope this inspires even more people to get involved with the trail when it launches in the summer."
Visitors are encouraged to take photos with the sculptures and tag @prideofyorkshiretrail and @lovemeadowhall when sharing them on social media. Everyone who shares a photo will be entered into a prize draw to win a family ticket to the Pride of Yorkshire Farewell Event at Meadowhall in October.
The studio will be used for painting, workshops and selling merchandise during the trail, and is open to visitors during Meadowhall opening hours. More details about activities and the Farewell Event will be announced soon.
To keep up to date with Pride of Yorkshire, follow the trail on social media: Instagram: @prideofyorkshiretrail Facebook: @prideofyorkshire