Birmingham Hospice is celebrating a remarkable achievement following the success of its Bulls in the City charity auction, which raised an incredi-bull £156,100.
All 40 lots — bespoke bull sculptures created by local and national artists — were sold during a vibrant and emotional evening on Thursday 16 October, held in the heart of the city at Millennium Point.
The auction marked the grand finale of the Bulls in the City public art trail, which captivated Birmingham residents and visitors throughout the summer. Inspired by the city’s iconic bull and celebrating its culture, creativity and community spirit, the sculptures were displayed across Birmingham before being brought together for one night only to go under the hammer in support of Birmingham Hospice.
Funds raised from the auction will go directly towards providing vital, compassionate palliative and end of life care for local people and their families across Birmingham.
Paul Bytheway, Chief Executive at Birmingham Hospice, said: “We are incredibly grateful and humbled by the outpouring of support shown through the Bulls in the City auction.
“This project has brought together artists, schools, sponsors, and supporters from every corner of our city, and we’ve been deeply moved by the stories and connections people have shared with us along the way.
“The funds raised will make a significant difference to our ability to deliver specialist end of life care across our two hospice sites and in people’s homes. We rely on the support of our community to keep our services running, and this incredible success shows just how powerful that support can be. From everyone at Birmingham Hospice – thank you.”
Lucy Watkins, Director of Income Generation at Birmingham Hospice, said: “This whole campaign has been a true labour of love for the team at the hospice, with a lot of late nights installing sculptures in the middle of the city, and endless hours spent organising every single element of this amazing project.
“We are absolutely overwhelmed by the public support we’ve been shown throughout the entire Bulls in the City campaign, and especially by the generous bidders at our recent auction.
“Raising over £150,000 in one evening is a phenomenal result, and every penny will help us continue to provide essential care and support to those who need it most across our city.”
The auction was hosted by renowned charity auctioneer Chris Edwards from Auction House Birmingham & Black Country, who brought energy and enthusiasm to the evening, helping drive up bids in a packed room of eager supporters, collectors, and corporate donors as well as the 300 people who were bidding online.
Competitive bidding saw many bulls exceed their guide prices, with several pieces attracting significant interest both in the room and online.
Among the standout lots were:
- Baby Oz by Vanessa Mountain, which sold for £13,500 – a striking mechanical design in the style of Ozzy the Bull from the Commonwealth Games;
- Steam by Esme Taylor, a fantastical creation representing the invention of the steam engine, fetching £9,000;
- Unbe-LEAF-a-BULL by Charlotte Mason Designs which sold for £7,750 – a beautiful design covered in florals, in tribute to the city’s green spaces.
The trail and auction were delivered in partnership with local businesses and supporters, including West Midlands Combined Authority, University of Birmingham and Rolls-Royce, highlighting the power of public art to unite communities around a shared cause.
Find out more at www.bullsinthecity.co.uk
Sculpture sold prices:
- Lot 1 – Deliverabull £2,600
- Lot 2 – Billy the Doodle Bull £2,500
- Lot 3 – The Brummie Blinder £2,600
- Lot 4 – Let’s Get Ready to Brumbull £1,700
- Lot 5 – Bulldozer £1,500
- Lot 6 – Baby Oz £13,500
- Lot 7 – Bullkins £4,750
- Lot 8 – Parker’s Goals £1,000
- Lot 9 – Sir Loins £6,200
- Lot 10 – Brighter Days Will Come £5,000
- Lot 11 – Kintsugi £6,000
- Lot 12 – A Bull in a China Shop £4,600
- Lot 13 – Found in Paradise £5,250
- Lot 14 – Birmingham Explorer £1,500
- Lot 15 – Bronco Bully £3,000
- Lot 16 – Toro £3,250
- Lot 17 – Steam £9,000
- Lot 18 – Dare to Disco £5,000
- Lot 19 – Blank calf £3,250
- Lot 20 – Blank calf £2,500
- Lot 21 – Alison Hammond bull £1,050
- Lot 22 – Frank Skinner bull £500
- Lot 23 – Irresisti-Bull £7,000
- Lot 24 – On the Waterfront £2,750
- Lot 25 – Unbe-LEAF-a-BULL £7,750
- Lot 26 – Broderick £8,000
- Lot 27 – Mr Crowley £4,500
- Lot 28 – Brummie Spirit £2,600
- Lot 30 – Bull Brum Lines £3,500
- Lot 31 – Rainbow £3,500
- Lot 32 – Blakey the Bull £2,000
- Lot 33 – Cadbully £2,500
- Lot 34 – Bosco the Bull £2,800
- Lot 35 – Moo-seley £2,500
- Lot 36 – Ephemera of Birmingham £3,800
- Lot 37 – JCBeef £2,000
- Lot 38 – Floradorabull £2,000
- Lot 39 – A Cultural Kick Flip £1,900
- Lot 40 – Floral & Fauna £2,300
