Swindon's Big Dog Art Trail looking for sponsorship following official launch

By Jessica Durston - 29 June 2022

CharityArts and CultureCommunity

Representatives from children's hospice Julia's House and Wild In Art invited business representatives to the official launch event for the Swindon Big Dog Art Trail at Steam.

Mike Bartlett, Deputy Chief Executive of Julia's House

The Swindon Big Dog Art Trail project was launched at an official event yesterday - 28 June - at Steam.

The launch was hosted by representatives from Julia's House and Wild In Art, and marked the first event in many, leading up to the opening of the trail next summer. 

More than 30 balloon 'Swindog' sculptures measuring over six feet, will appear around Swindon next year in July. Each dog will showcase a unique design, created by local artists.

There will also be additional, smaller, 'Swinpups' that will be given to schools around the town to decorate.

A spokesperson for the project said: "The trail aims to shine a light on art and culture which is at the heart of the town. It will showcase Swindon as a fun, vibrant and cultural centre, while giving the town an economic boost from thousands of additional visitors who will be coming just to see the trail."

The team behind Big Dog Art Trail are now looking for sponsorship to help the project on its way. 

The launch event held at Steam was a way to bring business representatives together, and explain more about how the trail will work, and the benefits of becoming a sponsor. 

Attendees could enjoy canapes and drinks on entry, and help themselves to literature around the Big Dog Art Trail, Julia's House and Wild In Art. 

Deputy Chief Executive of Julia's House, Mike Bartlett, compered a set of speeches from some important individuals involved within the project, but not before taking a chance to explain more about the Swindogs himself. 

He said: “Our service kind of goes under the radar, and a lot of people don’t know about us. We really wanted to present ourselves to the community of Swindon and say ‘here we are.’ We wanted to do something fun and big, and work with partners across the town – businesses and organisations.

“There will be 30 of the big Swindogs across the town next Summer (July and August) and they will all be painted by local artists. They will be up for eight weeks. We will also have Swinpups which will go out to schools and community groups to be painted and decorated.

“At the end of this time period, we will collect the dogs and bring them to Steam to showcase them. The community will then have a final chance to come and enjoy them all in one room together for the Farewell Week. Following the Farewell Week event, the dogs will be auctioned off, with the proceeds going to Julia’s House.”

The Art Trail team are looking for several different kinds of sponsorship to make this trail happen. They are looking for a Presenting Partner, Learning Programme Sponsor, sponsors for every one of the big Swindogs, and donations for the Swinpups. 

Mike also said that if all 30 dogs find themselves accounted for in terms of sponsorship, the Art Trail team will be prepared to order more and make the trail event bigger. 

Co-founder and Managing Director of Wild In Art, Charlie Langhorne, was in attendance and explained where the idea for the balloon dogs came from.

He said: “Swindogs will bring people together – when you walk round the corner and bump into one of these dogs, it will make you smile.

“I’ve wanted to do a balloon dog design for a very long time, and I think they fit in with Julia’s House so well. It was about capturing a child’s essence - their love of play and fun. As we grow up, we don’t allow ourselves to have that childlike sense of wonder or fun. I want people to go out and see the balloon dogs next Summer and capture their inner child and enjoy them.”

He added: “Hospices are the most extraordinary organisations, and it is great to be supporting Julia's House. In addition, the wonderful thing about Art Trail is that there are so many different benefits that it provides – there’s the positive economic impact on the city or town the trail is held in, the fitness element with walking the trail, and the fact it brings people together."

Chief Executive of Julia's House, Martin Edwards, also took to the stage to remind everyone of the charity that the project will be supporting. 

He said: "Recently there was a landmark national study into the health of mothers with seriously ill children. It found over a long period of time, compared to mothers with healthy children, mothers with seriously ill children are twice as likely to develop serious cardiac conditions or a serious mental health condition.

“What those parents need through all their struggles and sleepless nights, is respite, and that’s what Julia’s House offers. We provide home care as well as hospice care. With the help of businesses and this project, we can continue to do the work we do.

“There are sad days where our nurses are providing end of life care for some of our children, but I want to remind people that there are many more happy days. Children, right up until the end, want to play and a big part of what we do is to help children to carry on playing and enjoying their life.

“I’m thrilled we’re involved with Wild in Art because art therapy is such an important thing for children. The balloon dog provides a symbol of fun and play, and kids are going to love these sculptures when they appear next year. I promise you, as soon as these Swindogs are ready to go walkies around the town, Swindon’s tails will be wagging, and their tongues will be wagging too.”

Martin also took the opportunity towards the end of his speech to read a letter of thanks from a child that the hospice charity looked after previously - and whom is still alive today. 

Attendees were then able to watch a short video, showing the kind of care that Julia's House provides for some of its seriously ill children. 

The first big Swindog was then revealed, painted by local artist and Wroughton Parish Councillor, Hannah Dosanjh. 

She has taken her blank canvas dog and turned it into a celebration of Swindon, with little snapshots of some of the town's most iconic landmarks. 

Images of Avebury, Steam, Daniel Gooch, Lydiard House, Coate Water, Queen's Park, Barbury Castle, GWR Park, Old Town Gardens, Stanton Park, the Magic Roundabout and more can be found on Hannah's dog. 

She said: "When I heard about this project through Sally Taylor of Artsite, I thought it sounded amazing. I had started watching the YouTube videos from the Julia’s House team and saw what work they were doing – I was blown away. It was a no brainer to get on board with this project.

“I have included Swindon’s green spaces in the design as a celebration that now post-pandemic, we can get outside together and enjoy the parks. I have also included the 49 bus that runs from Swindon to Devizes, as Devizes is the HQ of Julia's House. I thought that was a nice link.

“I’ve probably clocked up over 100 hours on this project, and painted it at Overtown Manor House B&B. I was loaned some space in the stable up there."

Paddington Bear can also be seen towards the back of the dog, making a mess, with the staff from Julia's House coming to the rescue. 

There will also be lots of young amateur artists getting involved in the project, as Swindon pupils will soon be decorating the Swinpups during their art classes. 

Martin Edwards said that he hopes the puppy sculptures will provide the opportunity for pupils to talk about children less fortunate than themselves, and the role of young carers who may look after their ill siblings.

He added that there will also be pupils in the schools involved with Art Trail that may have seriously ill members of their family, or that are young carers themselves. He said he hopes this project may help them to feel more understood. 

The Big Dog Art Trail team were also pleased to call CEO of Imagine Cruising, Robin Deller, to the stage to deliver a speech, as Imagine Cruising are the first to sponsor the project.

Robin said: "The past two years have been tough and we have been spending a lot of time at home, and I think we’re all striving for something to look forward to. I think as a company we’re spending a lot more time focusing on positivity, wellbeing and engagement from staff. For me it is a bit of a no brainer to join as a sponsor.

“In short, because we can support this project – we will. Julia’s House is such an important organisation. I have two healthy children, and I have no idea what it is like to go through what these parents with seriously ill children are going through. I’ve attended the charity’s events in the past and have shed a tear on multiple occasions. There is little Government support for charities like Julia’s House, so this project is a great way to help them.”

Following the speeches, business representatives were encouraged to network and ask questions. 

Mike Bartlett said: "This event only works if we get business on board to sponsor. Those that get on board as a sponsor will get the business name on a plaque which will appear on the foot of the Swindog. 

"The business will also appear on the project’s website, on the map, potentially be on the news, have a chance to meet the schools the project works with, and also attend launch events. This will be a huge year long-programme.”

Cllr Cathy Martyn was amongst those in attendance at the launch event. 

She said: “I think the Big Dog art trail is an absolutely fantastic idea. Hopefully it will benefit both Julia’s House and Swindon, and it should promote both at the same time.

“It will also provide a great opportunity for local artists to get involved, and I love that it’s all about having fun. It provides a different, and more fun and positive perspective to what people would usually have about hospices for children.”

Members of the public can find out more or register their interest by visiting www.bigdogarttrail.co.uk or emailing [email protected] 

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