Brummie Bull: It’s here to stay in Centenary Square but only until end of September - for now

The Brummie Bull will stay on display in the Birmingham City Centre longer than what was planned. It will remain at Centenary Square until end of September.

Residents had launched a petition to make the bull a permanent fixture in Birmingham after it gave a successful performance at the Opening Ceremony of the Commonwealth Games 2022.

The bull has become so popular that it now has a Twitter account of its own where images of the making process are also shared. Birmingham has a long connection to the symbol that goes as far back as the 16th century.

The extended stay of the Bull will allow more residents and visitors to view it and continue the celebrations even after the end of the Commonwealth Games 2022 and in line with Birmingham 2022 Festival drawing to a close.

The 10m tall Bull was created by Artem Ltd., an SFX studio, over a period of five months. They spent another three weeks to fine-tune it on-site in Birmingham. The inspiration and vision behind the Opening Ceremony story and the Bull came from the Birmingham Ceremonies Ltd production team.

What happens to the Bull after September?

It is still undecided what will be done with the Bull when the Birmingham 2022 Festival closes at the end of September. The festival celebrating Birmingham began in March and will go on after the end of the Games. The celebration will include the world premiere of a Peaky Blinders dance theatre event at the Birmingham Hippodrome and the spectacular PoliNations in Birmingham’s Victoria Square, as part of UNBOXED, Creativity in the UK.

What have the officials said?

Cllr Ian Ward, Leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “We are delighted with the response the Bull has had from the Opening Ceremony which reflects our history.

“The diverse history of Birmingham is one of the reasons we were successful in our bid for the 2022 Commonwealth Games and the way residents and visitors have embraced the Bull shows how important this is. The Opening Ceremony’s narrative illustrated how, by working together and understanding each other, we can overcome barriers and continue having challenging conversations looking forward to creating a bolder and more inclusive Birmingham.

“We consider this one of the top attractions in the city and seeing residents and visitors enjoying the Bull being in the city this week, has been brilliant and enhances the need to keep the Bull in the city for longer.”

Commonwealth Games Minister Nigel Huddleston said: “The Bull had an important story to tell on women’s rights and the city’s industrial heritage during the Opening Ceremony. It has captured the public’s imagination, brought culture to a mass audience and shown that Birmingham 2022 is about more than the world-class sport on show.

“I hope the Bull, the Commonwealth Games and its cultural programme leave lasting memories for those who have experienced it, and that they encourage more people to get involved in the West Midlands’ rich artistic and cultural offering.”

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