The Story Trail

Brighton & Hove is set to host a unique public art exhibition this autumn called The Story Trail. If you enjoy exploring the city's open spaces, this event will transform our streets, parks, and open spaces into a giant storybook starting in September and running through November 2026. The main feature is a collection of over 30 large BookBenches—benches shaped like open books—each individually designed by a local artist. These large sculptures will be on display in public areas for about eight weeks, offering a great excuse to wander around the city.

This adventure is completely free and family-friendly. It’s organized by Amaze, a local charity dedicated to supporting families with disabled children, in partnership with Wild in Art. The entire project is designed to raise vital funds for Amaze’s services. Alongside the main artistic benches, there will also be a collection of smaller BookBenches that schools, nurseries, and community groups have decorated, adding a strong local and communal element to the trail. While the event is free, visitors are encouraged to make a donation to Amaze or purchase merchandise to support the cause.

To help everyone navigate the city and find all the sculptures, Amaze will be providing both a printed map and a dedicated app, developed by DabApps. They are also focusing heavily on accessibility, and a guide will be launched before the event, although they anticipate that the nature of public spaces might present some unavoidable access issues. The trail culminates in a special Farewell Weekend between November 27th and 29th, 2026, where all the BookBenches will be displayed together in a single location before the large ones are auctioned off to raise money for the charity. As a fun detail, the celebrated author Julia Donaldson has been announced as a judge for the Story Trail writers, adding a literary stamp to the proceedings.