If you’re visiting Plymouth this month, The Box’s Beryl Cook: Pride and Joy exhibition is a must-see! If you’re a Cook fan you might also want to take a walk around the city centre and waterfront where some life-size 3D sculptures based on her iconic paintings have been installed.

The sculptures have been produced in partnership with Theatre Royal Plymouth and in consultation with members of the Cook family. Proving hugely popular since they were first unveiled, they’ve taken some of Cook's most beloved characters off the canvas and into the very locations that inspired them.

Here’s where you can find them:

  • Sailors and Seagulls (c.1970) – One of the jolly sailors has taken up residence on the bench outside The Dolphin pub on Southside Street, The Barbican, ready for countless selfies!
  • The Market (1978) – A cheerful shopper has appeared by the Frankfort Gate entrance to Plymouth Market, capturing the bustle of the city's shopping heart just as Beryl painted it.
  • Sabotage (1975) – A bowls player mid-game has been positioned near the very bowling green that inspired the painting.
  • Tom Dancing (1976) – The figure of Brian Pearce (aka drag performer Ruby Venezuela) now stands near the former Lockyer Tavern next to the entrance to the garden of the Bank pub in the city centre, celebrating Plymouth's vibrant LGBTQ+ history and nightlife.

Each sculpture is designed to be accessible and Instagram-worthy and you can share your encounters using #BerylTrail and tagging @theboxplymouth.

Beryl Cook: Pride and Joy runs at The Box until 31 May. The exhibition features over 80 works including rarely seen paintings and textiles plus insights from the Cook family's personal archives. Admission is free. To book a free ticket for a guaranteed time slot please visit www.theboxplymouth.com.