A FREE public art trail featuring Peter Rabbit™ raised a record breaking £300k for a North East hospice at a nail-biting auction last night (13 Oct).
For nine weeks over the summer, individually painted sculptures of Peter Rabbit™ adorned streets and parks across Newcastle and North Tyneside. And the Peter Rabbit™ Tales on the Tyne event culminated with a glittering auction at Newcastle Civic Centre with one aim in mind – to raise much needed funds for St Oswald’s Hospice.
Online bidders from across the world joined buyers from closer to home to compete for 40 of the 5ft sculptures from the trail along with a smaller number of pieces created specifically for the auction. And it was one of those lots, number 25, a full-size bench adorned with a small Peter Rabbit sculpture, that stole the show. A Love Letter to the British Countryside, decorated by acclaimed Northumberland wildlife artist Jina Gelder, rapidly cleared the £12k mark – the most paid for any sculpture at previous St Oswald’s art trails. And, following a tensely fought bidding war led by auctioneer Fred Wyrley-Birch from Newcastle’s Anderson & Garland, the hammer came down at a staggering £52,500.00.
The piece will now head to its forever home in North Yorkshire thanks to a buyer who wished to remain anonymous but said: “It’s for my wife. She’s a big supporter of the hospice – we have a friend who gets treated there and they’re absolutely fantastic.”
But, proving that sometimes the original is still the best, Lot 35, titled simply Peter Rabbit and decorated as his creator Beatrix Potter designed him by artist Jodie Silverman, raised the highest amount for any rabbit sculpture – going for £21k.
Steph Edusei, Chief Executive at St Oswald’s Hospice, said that “like many hospices we are operating in a challenging financial environment,” but “we use every single pound wisely. “I have been amazed by the dedication, creativity and hard work that has gone into bringing this trail to life, both behind the scenes and throughout the summer,” she said. “Seeing the excitement and enthusiasm from communities across the region has been truly special. “The response from the public has been overwhelming, and this record-breaking auction has provided a fitting finale to an unforgettable summer as we celebrate 40 years of care at St Oswald’s Hospice.”
Peter Rabbit™: Tales on the Tyne was held in conjunction with creative producers Wild in Art, along with The World of Peter Rabbit™, Headline Trail Partner Newcastle City Council, Trail Partner North Tyneside Council, Learning Programme Partner Northumbrian Water and Community Partner North Standard.
