Art UK has been recording public sculptures across the UK since 2017, making the artworks available for people across the world to search, browse and enjoy online for free.
Portrait Bench – Lenny Henry, Ellie Simmons and Jane Sixsmith
2023
Katy Hallett and Nick Hallett 
We recorded 94 new installations in 2023 – from sculptures of Agatha Christie and Lenny Henry to works commemorating Windrush and victims of the coronavirus pandemic.
Jade Pearl (b.1994) and Liam Hopkins (b.1985) 
Our latest public sculpture annual report uncovers some of the patterns and themes in public sculpture, as well as highlighting lesser-known sculptures which people walk past each day. We have put the artworks we have recorded in 2023 into a Curation on the Art UK website.
Five broad categories have been observed in the types of public sculpture unveiled during 2023:
- Environment and nature-themed artworks (29 artworks, 31% of the total)
- Artworks installed in public art trails and collections (24 artworks, 26% of the total)
- Statues dedicated to named women and men (17 artworks, 18% of the total)
- History- and heritage-themed artworks (14 artworks, 15% of the total)
- Symbolic and abstract artworks (10 artworks, 11% of the total)
The majority of the sculptures we have recorded have been installed in England (91%), with a smaller number in Scotland (4%), Wales (3%) and Northern Ireland (1%). A third of the new sculptures have been unveiled in London (33% overall), although over half of the artworks in London have been installed as part of public art trails, such as Sculpture in the City, which are not permanent installations.
George King Architects (founded 2015) 
As of early March 2024, there are over 14,800 public artworks on Art UK. We recorded 94 new installations in 2023, but as we now record public artworks as they are unveiled (which is not part of a funded programme), it is possible that some public sculptures installed in 2023 have not been recorded. We will endeavour to fill in any gaps as soon as we can, with the help of our volunteer network.
Download the Art UK Public Sculpture Annual Report 2023
Katey Goodwin, Deputy Chief Executive, and Tracy Jenkins, Public Art Manager, Art UK
For more information, get in touch with Gemma Briggs, Head of Marketing and Communications at Art UK at gemma.briggs@artuk.org
