£131,000 raised for Northern Ireland Hospice

35 uniquely decorated Elmer sculptures went under the hammer in Belfast, raising an incredible £131,000 in aid of Northern Ireland Hospice.

The iconic auction was the first of its kind in Northern Ireland and took place at Crumlin Road Gaol in Belfast on Wednesday 5 October.

Many of the sculptures from Elmer’s Big Belfast Trail paid tribute to the history, spirit, and cultural life of Belfast city, from the C.S. Lewis to the Titanic to Game of Thrones.

An audience of online bidders joined for a virtual auction experience, battling with those in the room for one-of-a-kind pieces of art.

Elmer’s Garden by Donna Newman

The Elmer sculptures, which were on display around Belfast city centre during Summer 2022, before a final farewell event at Antrim Castle Gardens, were hoping to raise much-needed funds for the good cause.

Regular Wild in Art artist Donna Newman’s design was the highest selling lot with ‘Elmer’s Garden’ going for an impressive £6,700.

On the night the charity also had a few extra surprises including a specially created unique miniature ‘Elmer’ designed and hand-painted by local artist Terry Bradley.