Birmingham: Public Art Trail with focus on William Bloye
Birmingham: Public Art Trail with focus on William Bloye
Saturday 4 July 2026
Start time/place: 1:45pm for 2pm start/The Exchange, Centenary Square, B1 2DR
Finish time/place: approx 4pm/Royal Society of Birmingham Artists, Birmingham, B3 1SA
Join sculptor Viv Astling for a guided tour of Birmingham’s city centre public art to see works including those by prominent local sculptor William Bloye (1890–1975).
Viv launched this Trail last year whilst researching the sculpture of the Birmingham 20th Century sculptor William Bloye.
The tour will cover well-known works including The Golden Boys (Boulton, Watt and Murdoch) from 1955, recent work such as Helios, touch on sculpture that has disappeared from Centenary Square as well as work currently unattributed to Bloye. Viv will talk briefly about the findings to date of his Bloye research.
Viv Astling is a practising sculptor in stone and a leading member of the The Royal Birmingham Society of Artists. He has been involved in cultural policy and projects for the last 40 years including early work on the New Art Gallery Walsall and the Leather Museum. He is currently a member of the Civic Society's Public Art Committee.
The walking tour will last about 2 hours and will go ahead in any weather.
Capacity is limited to 14 people.
Non-members: £25
C20 Members: £20
Students*: £15.00
Young C20**: £12.50
*For student pricing please select from the dropdown option next to ‘membership number’ on the booking form below.
**For Young C20 members, please email lukas@c20society.org.uk to secure a place.
Click here for our cancellation policy.
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The Twentieth Century Society is an IHBC (Institute of Historic Building conservation) recognised CPD provider and is a registered charity, no 1110244.
Above: Bloye sculpture on Sun Insurance building (1928), Birmingham. Photo by Oosoom CC A-S A 3.0.