Looking Back at Bournemouth's Great Tail Trail

Last year, the streets and coastal paths of Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole were transformed by an incredible wave of colour and creativity. The Great Tail Trail, a free public art event that ran from 5 April to 1 June 2025, captured the imagination of locals and visitors alike. Organised in partnership with Wild in Art, this unique trail featured dozens of giant, beautifully decorated mermaid tail sculptures. It offered a fantastic excuse to get outdoors, explore our local landmarks, and see the area through a fresh, artistic lens. Beyond the fun of hunting down each sculpture, the entire project served a deeply important cause: raising vital funds and awareness for Julia’s House, the children’s hospice charity that provides essential support to families across Dorset and Wiltshire.

The trail itself was an impressive feat of community collaboration. In total, 45 giant mermaid tails were scattered across town centres, local parks, and along our beautiful coastline. Each one was a unique masterpiece, designed by a mix of local, national, and international artists. The designs were incredibly diverse, ranging from bold pop art and sparkling gemstones to intricate illustrations of Dorset’s rolling hills, seaside scenes, puffins, and even quirky themes like ice creams, seagulls, and pirates. Alongside these giant creations, local schools, nurseries, and youth groups got involved by decorating 43 smaller "Tiny Tail" sculptures. BH Live acted as the official Community Partner, sponsoring two of the main pieces and hosting several school-designed sculptures across their local leisure centres, making the trail a truly inclusive community effort that brought people together.

Once the trail wrapped up in June 2025, the sculptures were gathered together for one final public appearance. A special Farewell Weekend was hosted at the stunning The Italian Villa within Compton Acres, giving everyone a last chance to see all 88 large and small tails in one place. Shortly after, the excitement moved to the Grand Auction, where professional auctioneer Charlie Ross—well-known from BBC’s Bargain Hunt—led the bidding. The auction was a massive success, raising an incredible £201,100 to support the round-the-clock care that Julia’s House provides for children with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions. This charity relies heavily on public support, as only a tiny fraction of its funding comes from the government, making the generosity of local bidders and sponsors absolutely crucial.

Even though the main event has finished, the legacy of the trail lives on in our local area. If you are visiting Compton Acres, you can actually still spot three of the beautiful mermaid tails. They have found a permanent home in the historic gardens of The Italian Villa, set against the backdrop of the ornamental lake and classical stone fountains. It is a lovely reminder of a project that brought so much joy to our streets while supporting an invaluable local charity. Wild in Art has a long history of animating cities worldwide with these high-impact public art events, and this collaboration was a perfect example of how art can bring a community together for a fantastic cause.