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 of the 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 29 – Bull Brum Lines £3,500
Lot 30 – Rainbow £3,500
Lot 31 – Blakey the Bull £2,000
Lot 32 – Cadbully £2,500
Lot 33 – Bosco the Bull £2,800
Lot 34 – Moo-seley £2,500
Lot 35 – Ephemera of Birmingham £3,800
Lot 36 – JCBeef £2,000
Lot 37 – Floradorabull £2,000
Lot 38 – A Cultural Kick Flip £1,900
Lot 39 – Floral & Fauna £2,300
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