The EPIC Tour Continues – Next Stop Tintern Abbey

Having turned many heads and appeared in many selfies over the past few weeks, Visit Wales’ EPIC art installation now continues on its tour of Wales as it travels south to Tintern Abbey. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

EPIC will appear at the popular Cadw site in Monmouthshire on Thursday 18th August and remain there until the 25th of August. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The giant mirrored letters, reaching 4 meters high and 11 meters wide, forming the word EPIC is part of the latest phase of Visit Wales’ marketing campaign to promote Wales as an adventure destination. It will pop up unannounced at locations across the length and breadth of Wales over the summer. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The installation comes in a week where the Welsh Government’s historic environment service (Cadw) has released a stunning 360° video capturing the sun setting at the iconic abbey. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Part of a social media series, aptly named Epic Moments, the 60 second video, filmed as an evening to night time-lapse at the abbey, aims to showcase the iconic site in a new and imaginative way. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The short film, created by Cadw, gives viewers an immersive experience, allowing them to have control over what they see using virtual reality headsets or low-cost technology such as Google Cardboard. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Fiona Wilton Vice Chair of Wye Valley and Forest of Dean Tourism Association and local business owner of Monmouthshire Cottages is delighted that the area is hosting EPIC and said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Guests in the Wye Valley have such a choice of wonderful adventures and are enjoying them immensely. From kayaking down the Wye to superb local geocaching or exploring the art of Turner who painted the Abbey or tasting something new at one of our brilliant eateries they are totally spoiled for choice. Right now everyone is taking to two wheels as we are all thrilled by the success of the Welsh cyclists in Rio. On September 8th the mighty Tour of Britain comes through Tintern and locals and guests alike are sure it will be Epic indeed!” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Nicola Edwards, Food & Tourism Manager, Monmouthshire County Council, said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Located within the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the birthplace of British tourism, the atmospheric ruins of Tintern Abbey make a truly epic location and now we’ll have the letters to prove it! On the back of the Monmouthshire & District Eisteddfod held in Abergavenny earlier this month and the dragon flying into Chepstow Castle last week, Monmouthshire has already had a fantastic summer, and we look forward to this success continuing.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

This innovative travelling art installation will act as a focal point for visitors’ selfies and is designed to encourage image and content sharing on social media using the campaign hashtag #FindYourEpic. The tour is supported by an integrated campaign consisting of PR and other media activity including digital advertising, e-mail marketing and social media activity targeting families and visitors in our core regions in North West England, The Midlands, Yorkshire, London and the South East. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Ken Skates, Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure, said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“This is an incredible time for tourism in Wales. We are seeing record numbers of people coming here and staying here and it’s all because of our increasing profile on a world stage.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The buzz from the Euros is fantastic and I’m confident that with the development of new innovative attractions, the quality of the tourism offer and more of these kind of epic adventures, we will see a further increase in tourism in Wales. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The EPIC letters are huge in scale and will be popping up in destinations right across Wales, encouraging people to find their own epic experiences in the Year of Adventure.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Designed by Visit Wales’s creative agency, Smorgasbord, the EPIC letters have been made by Wild Creations, the Cardiff-based company that created the ‘Ball in the Wall’ at Cardiff castle for the 2015 Rugby World Cup. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The EPIC word has been produced with a mirror coating designed to reflect the beauty of the Welsh landscape. The installation took three weeks and four people to build, and each letter weighs a staggering 350kg. Ten people will be needed to install it in each location. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​