The Next Gromit Unleashed Trail is Returning!
The burning question is ‘when?’... Gromit Unleashed will be returning to Bristol in the summer of 2025. So, you have plenty of time to clear your diary and prepare for another sculpture spectacle.
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2013: The Birth of Gromit Unleashed
Gromit Unleashed started 10 years ago in partnership with Aardman. After a huge call out, we had over 500 different sculpture designs submitted. After much deliberation 80 Gromits were chosen and unleashed across Bristol.
Photo: In true Wallace & Gromit style, a steam train carrying Gromit sculptures, with Nick Park watching them arrive safely at Bristol's picturesque harborside.
We are sure you’ll remember them all fondly - especially the famous faces, brands and artists whom each gave their own unique design, including Pixar, The Snowman creator Raymond Briggs, Cath Kidston, comedian Harry Hill, artist Sir Quentin Blake, actress Joanna Lumley to name a few.
Once the trail was announced, Gromit fever well and truly took hold. The colourful canines were an instant hit with visitors from near and far. Did you know Gromit Unleashed brought over 1.2 million people to our beautiful city of Bristol?
Find out more about our first Gromit Unleashed trail.
Next: Shaun in the City
Many of the sculptures were designed by celebrities and artists like British supermodel David Gandy, Dame Zandra Rhodes, Wayne Hemingway, Bagpuss creator Peter Firmin and DreamWorks, to name but a few.
Local Bristol artists also got involved. Paula Bowles, Tom Hovey, Emily Ketteringham, Emily Golden and Tim Sutcliffe all added ewe-nique style to the flock.
Meanwhile, iconic brands like Cath Kidston, Tatty Devine, Paddington, Hello Kitty, Mr Men, Little Miss, Thunderbirds and Peter Rabbit TM joined the trail frenzy.
We can’t forget Aardman Directors and charity trustees Nick Park and Peter Lord, and Shaun the Sheep the Movie director Richard Starzak who added their woolly designs to the growing flock.
Photo: BAA-WULF by Peter Lord. Baaack to the Drawing Board by Nick Park
and Lotus by Richard Starzak.
Gromit Unleashed fans didn’t disappoint- that’s you! The Shaun in the City trails were a huge success, with the trail app reaching the top of the charts within 24 hours of launching. Herds of people visited the trails, making them a major tourist attraction for the summer in both cities.
Take a closer look at Shaun in the City trail.
Gromit Unleashed 2
2018 saw Gromit Unleashed return to Bristol with a bang. This time, Gromit was not alone. His pal Wallace and the arch nemesis Feathers McGraw joined him for cheeky shenanigans and trail fun.
Photo: 27 June 2018 saw The Great Bristol Boat Chase take place between
Gromit and Feathers McGraw to launch the summer of trail spotting.
67 designs dazzled the streets of Bristol for nine weeks, perfectly placed for a proper ‘Grand Day Out’ with family and friends. The fun didn’t stop there. Gromit Unleashed 2 was a truly innovative trail. From augmented reality to contactless donations and interactive sculptures, it beautifully combined arts and science to bring a whole new spectacle of sculptures to Bristol.
This trail had its fair share of household names too. Brands like LEGO, Pixar Animation Studios and Minions all created their very own sculpture, while engineering giants such as Rolls-Royce and Renishaw used top technology to reimagine Gromit like never before.
The Gromits
This trail saw a perfect combination of sitting and standing Gromits. We welcomed everyone’s favourite, classic Gromit, by Nick Park and pup-u-lar sculptures ‘Cracking Build Gromit!’ by the world-famous brand LEGO and ‘Gromit P. Sullivan’, nicknamed Sulley from Monster’s Inc. by Pixar Animation Studios.
Gromit glowed in the dark with ‘Dias de los Perros’, inspired by the ‘Day of the Dead’ holiday by Aardman artist Gavin Strange and we got a sugar rush with ‘Sprinkles’, designed by Bristol artist Tom Hovey known for his graphics on The Great British Bake Off! With just a tiny example of the pedigree of pups in this trail, it couldn’t fail to be a success.
The Wallace effect
The bonus with these Wallace sculptures meant you could all take a well-earnt rest while trail spotting, sit next to Wallace and enjoy a brew on his bench, which was perfect for selfies and big group shots.
The Penguins
The most menacing sculpture added to Gromit Unleashed 2 was the feathered foe himself, Feathers McGraw, in an array of highly creative disguises. Aardman’s Peter Lord returned with a cheesy design for this trail, the brie-lliant ‘Fromage McGraw’. We all got an extra helping of a sweet ice-cream sundae, ‘Game of Cones’ painted by Aardman artist Rachel Bennett. Minion mayhem filled Bristol as we all said ‘Bello’ to ‘One in a Minion’. Illumination, the creators of Despicable Me and the Minions, created this mischievous penguin, providing the perfect yellow-tastic photo opportunities.
Some of you may have missed this master of the roadworks on Gas Ferry Road, ‘Oh, Bollards!’, designed by the Creative Director of Wallace & Gromit, Merlin Crossingham. This pesky penguin was hidden in plain sight beside the traffic cones outside the Aardman studios.
Photo: ‘Game of Cones’, ‘One in a Minion’ and ‘Fromage McGraw’.
Photo:‘Oh, Bollards!’
Explore Gromit Unleashed 2
Gromit and the legacy of the trails
Our three sculpture arts trails have raised millions to support each hospital and help them provide the very best treatment.
So, whether you went Gromit spotting, Gromiting, Gromit hunting or Gromiteering, thank you for helping make life better for sick children and their families.
2025. What’s next?
Find out more about about Gromit Unleashed 2025.
Read more about our amazing Gromit Unleashed trails.