Kirkcaldy cat trail: huge interest from artists to transform Wemyss Ware sculptures
Kirkcaldy’s first public art trail featuring giant sized cats has sparked huge interest.
The Wemyss Ware cat project will see 1.6m tall sculptures of the famous cats placed around the district next summer.
Two have gone on display at Kirkcaldy Galleries and the Mercat Shopping Centre following the launch last week.
An appeal to Fife based creatives and artists to bid to transform one of the sculptures has received an overwhelming response, while businesses have already come forward as potential sponsors.
The trail, which was formally launched at Kirkcaldy Galleries, is being backed by the Kirkcaldy Lottery, which was launched last year by the Adam Smith Global Foundation to raise funds for initiatives to improve the town centre.
The Wemyss cat was chosen because of its Kirkcaldy heritage, and as it has a very recognisable shape and large surfaces that can be easily decorated by artists. Edinburgh-based sculptor Andrea Porteous – best known for her large-scale work making film sets and props including for the Outlander series and blockbuster film Superman Returns – carved the oversized sculpture based on a somewhat smaller original cat produced in Kirkcaldy around 1890, which was borrowed from a local collector.
A mould was made, and now multiple replica fibreglass cats are being manufactured in a workshop on the outskirts of Edinburgh before being shipped out to the successful artists to start work on their paid commissions..
The response so fast has delighted the foundation.
Dr Gordon Povey, general manager, said: “There has been huge interest in the project, and we have so far received 42 requests for artists packs. We have also received interest from potential sponsors, and will start to push for more in the next few weeks.
“It is clear to the organisers that there will be a lot of artists’ submissions by the December 12 deadline, but with only 10 cats available, there are certain to be some who will be disappointed so we are already looking for how we can display all of the entries publicly, and also hope to find a way to involve artists in the project even if they are not given a full commission
Public art trails have proved to be a huge hit in towns and cities across Scotland.
The Oor Wullie Bucket Trail in Dundee and the Scottie Dog trail, which featured in St Andrews, were both extremely popular – and the foundation is confident the Lang Toun’s cat trail will be a cultural landmark that will draw in visitors from across Fife and beyond.
The plan is to run the Wemyss Ware Cat Trail through the summer of 2026, with at least 12 cats on public display throughout the area. Each will be decorated by artists in their own unique style. It is hoped to have the sculptures displayed all the way from Burntisland to Dysart, if suitable locations can be found.
The project has been in planning for many months and, although it is by far the biggest and most costly Kirkcaldy Lottery project so far, it is expected to provide a great return for the town both socially and financially.
In late December, the foundation aims to match sponsors with the designs they like, and will commission the chosen artists to decorate one cat each.
Wemyss Ware was first produced in Kirkcaldy by the Fife Pottery business, which was located in Pottery Street, in 1882. Their cat became an iconic shape and was decorated in many different patterns. Few originals survive, and those that do now fetch thousands of pounds at auction. High profile collectors include King Charles III and Elton John.