A spectacular lighthouse art trail is set to brighten the streets of Plymouth in 2026, uniting the community through creativity while raising much-needed funds and awareness for the compassionate end of life services St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth provides for patients and their loved ones.
St Luke’s Guiding Lights promises to be one of Devon’s most ambitious, must-see, family-friendly events for next summer. It will run for 10 weeks, culminating in a grand auction of the striking exhibited sculptures to the highest bidders.
Following in the footsteps of the highly successful Elmer’s Big Parade back in 2019, St Luke’s is teaming up once again with expert producers Wild in Art, this time to create a trail of up to 40 distinctive 2.4m tall lighthouses, each one uniquely designed and decorated by a professional artist and generously sponsored by a local business, organisation or individual.
The eye-catching artworks will be put on display in prime locations across Plymouth, creating a free, easily accessible promenade experience for adults and children of all ages, whether they already love art or are yet to discover its magical appeal, with the added bonus of prompting people to get up and get moving outdoors.
St Luke’s Guiding Lights launched this week (13 May 2025) with a reception at the Royal William Yard’s Ocean Studios where the first lighthouses were revealed. Renowned artist and St Luke’s patron Brian Pollard unveiled the striking design he has conceived and painted on one of the large sculptures that will take pride of place on the trail.
Meanwhile Mrs Murals (aka Plymouth artist Ellie Johnson) offered a sneak preview of the smaller-scale lighthouse she painted in seascape style that will be on the move promoting St Luke’s Guiding Lights over the coming months.
A call will now go out to local and national artists to submit their lighthouse designs for the trail. A judging panel will select the winning entries and sponsors of each sculpture will select the design they want from the shortlist. Chosen artists will then be commissioned to turn their visions into reality, and paid a fee for their work, acknowledging the high quality of designs anticipated.
The trail team will also connect with schools across Plymouth and beyond with a learning resource to engage children and young people, with smaller scale lighthouses for them to decorate and opportunities to get involved in fundraising initiatives and have conversations to help break down taboos around death and dying.
While the main focus will be in Plymouth itself, there will also be a travelling sculpture or two visiting the surrounding towns of Devon that St Luke’s services cover, such as Tavistock and Kingsbridge.
When the trail comes to an end, the lighthouse sculptures will be gathered together for a major viewing event, followed by a high-profile, edge-of-your-seat auction night, with proceeds from the sale of the original artworks, after costs, going directly to fund St Luke’s care.
Events Manager Georgina Dyke is leading on the project for St Luke’s. She said: “We’re thrilled to be staging such a prestigious event. It has very broad appeal and so many potential benefits, not only for St Luke’s, but for families, businesses, artists, and the city of Plymouth itself.
“We’re bursting with enthusiasm as we embark on this journey and certain that, with the support of our wonderful community, we can make sure Guiding Lights 2026 is a brilliant success.”
The lighthouse – one of a range of Wild in Art’s dazzling range of themes – was selected for its symbolic relevance and strong link to Plymouth’s maritime history and Smeaton’s Tower on the Hoe. Lighthouses traditionally provide a guiding light for those who are weathering stormy seas and searching for safety, and this echoes what St Luke’s offers people with life limiting illnesses and their families and friends, helping them find their way in times of great difficulty and uncertainty.
St Luke’s chief executive George Lillie said: “Seeing our organisation as a guiding light confirms St Luke’s commitment to shine a beacon of compassion across Plymouth and the surrounding area, not only supporting and advising patients and families, but also liaising with other health and care professionals to make sure everyone has the best end of life support possible.
“The lighthouse artworks will help illuminate the importance of hospice care in our community, lead people towards more open conversations about death and dying and encourage them to donate to support St Luke’s services, which are provided free of charge but receive minimal funding from the Government.”
To find out more about becoming a lighthouse sculpture sponsor, applying to submit an artist design, getting your school or community group involved, or following the progress of the event, please check out the St Luke’s Guiding Lights website stlukesguidinglights.co.uk or social media channels @stlukesguidinglights on Tik Tok, Facebook and Instagram
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