Colourful book-shaped benches have appeared around Brighton & Hove as part of a free public art trail supporting families with disabled children.
The Story Trail opened on Saturday 12 September 2026 and continues until Sunday 8 November. It has been organised by Sussex charity Amaze in partnership with public art producers Wild in Art.
The free sculpture trail collection brings together with 74 BookBenches painted by artists and smaller sculptures decorated by schools, nurseries and community groups.
The Story Trail at a glance
| What | The Story Trail, a public art trail featuring book-shaped bench sculptures |
|---|---|
| When | 12 September to 8 November 2026 |
| Where | Streets, parks, seafront locations and indoor venues across Brighton & Hove |
| How many? | 74 large and small BookBenches in the organiser’s directory |
| Cost | Free to explore; donations support Amaze |
| Organisers | Amaze, working in partnership with Wild in Art |
| Finding the sculptures | Free app, downloadable map and printed maps available |
What are the BookBenches?
The sculptures are shaped like open books, with the larger versions providing somewhere to sit as well as artwork to discover.
The designs draw on subjects including wildlife, local landmarks, literature and football. Smaller BookBenches give schools and community groups their own place in the exhibition, with installations in libraries, museums, leisure centres and shops as well as outdoor spaces.
In Amaze’s launch announcement, head of fundraising and marketing Hannah Albrooke said she hoped the sculptures would provide “new places to rest and recover” while encouraging discussion and creativity.
For families, that offers a flexible outing: choose a handful of nearby benches, stop to look at the designs and return another day for a different part of the city.
Where can you find the BookBenches?
The organiser’s sculpture directory provides a location page for each artwork, including details of its artist or learner group.
Along the seafront, Sweet Memory by Ilona Drew is beside the beach carousel on the lower promenade. Its design includes Brighton’s piers and starling murmurations. Farther west, Bandstand by Serena Sussex is outside the bandstand on King’s Road.
Albion supporters can find 125 Years of Albion by Jamie Eke opposite Brighton Museum’s entrance in Pavilion Gardens. The blue-and-white design celebrates the club’s anniversary.
At Brighton Open Market, 100 Years of David by The Postman pays tribute to Sir David Attenborough, combining wildlife imagery with the artists’ street-art style.
Queen’s Park is another stop, hosting Brighton Skies by Faye Bridgwater, inspired by the changing sky and Sussex light.
These are examples rather than a complete route. Use the official map to choose a manageable group of sculptures instead of trying to fit the entire city into one outing.
How to get the map and app
The Story Trail app is free to download for Apple and Android devices. Codes on the sculptures can be entered to unlock rewards and offers. Amaze suggests an optional £2 app donation to support the trail and its work.
A smartphone is not essential. Visitors can download and print the trail map or collect a physical copy from distribution points around the city.
Printed maps are offered for a £2 donation, but Amaze says they are free for library-card and Compass Card holders.
Collection points include Jubilee Library, The Book Nook, Brighton Museum, Hove Museum and Story Trail HQ in Churchill Square. Their opening days and accepted donation methods differ, so check the map page before making a special journey.
An optional £5 sticker book includes a map for families who prefer collecting their discoveries on paper.
Supporting families with disabled children
The trail is raising funds for Amaze, which provides information, advice and support to families with children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities in Brighton & Hove and East Sussex.
Its services include education advice, help with disability benefits, parent-carer groups and activities for young people.
Taking part in the public trail does not require a donation. People who choose to support the charity can do so through donations, merchandise and fundraising events, with an auction of the larger sculptures planned after the trail.
Accessibility and indoor opening hours
Amaze has published access information for individual sculptures, covering routes, public transport, likely noise levels, parking and nearby toilets, including Changing Places facilities. All the large sculptures also have audio descriptions.
Those individual guides are important because the trail uses different kinds of locations. For example, the guidance for Sweet Memory beside the carousel identifies a steep approach ramp and a separate small ramp to reach the sculpture’s platform.
Before setting out
Check the access guide for your chosen benches
Not every stop has the same surfaces, gradients or surroundings. Some sculptures are inside buildings and can only be visited during the host venue’s opening hours. Check the individual sculpture pages when planning around mobility, sensory or other access needs.
What happens when the trail ends?
The public trail finishes on 8 November, but the fundraising programme continues.
A separate, ticketed Farewell Weekend is scheduled for 27–29 November at The Wing in the Brighton Centre, bringing the large and small sculptures together before they leave the trail.
Amaze then plans to auction 30 large BookBenches on Monday 30 November, with online bidding and a live event raising money for the charity.
The smaller sculptures will return to the schools and community groups that created them.
Make more of a Brighton visit
- Albion at 125 for the history behind the club’s anniversary bench.
- Royal Pavilion guide to plan another visit around the gardens.
- Brighton and Hove with children for more family-day ideas.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need the app to follow The Story Trail?
No. The app is optional. A downloadable or printed map can be used instead, and a sticker book is also available to buy.
Can you sit on the BookBenches?
The large BookBenches are intended as places to sit, rest and enjoy the artwork. The trail also includes smaller sculptures created by schools and community groups.
Is everything connected with The Story Trail free?
The public trail and app are free. Printed maps normally involve a donation, with free copies for library-card and Compass Card holders. Merchandise and separately ticketed fundraising events have their own charges.
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