Dog Art Trail
Explore Local,
Love Banbury
Supported by local family business Croft Pet Foods and initiated by Banbury Business Improvement District (BID), the project celebrates the town and its dogs, bringing joy to visitors, supporting local businesses and boosting footfall in Banbury’s historic town centre.
"It's a wonderful project that gets people really excited to go out and find all the different dogs across town."
Lou, The White Horse
"Since we put the artwork of Bruce up, people have been coming in and asking about him. It’s been a brilliant conversation starter to introduce them to the Banbury BID dog trail and encourage them to explore the other businesses."
Lou, The White Horse
"The dog trail is amazing. It gives children an opportunity to do something when the parents are shopping in town, and it highlights to Banbury what a lovely community we've got"
Emma, Complete Eyecare Opticians and Hearing Centre
"I think it's a really good idea, it's very different, I've never heard of it before and never seen it before. It adds something fun for the kids and adults as well, something that everyone can take part in, it unifies all of the businesses across town."
Rebecca, Finders Keepers Letting Agents
"It's been really good. So many people coming in looking for their dog on the posters and doing the trail and it's getting families out of the house as well..."
Drew, V Lounge
"It adds something fun for the kids and adults as well, something that everyone can take part in, and it kind of unifies all of the businesses across town."
Talis, Wanderbar
"I think we should do more of this sort of thing to get the community together."
Atta, Paw Paw
"It's about looking and just experiencing a town and seeing people and talking to people."
Maddi, Abraxus
"These are great, these illustrations, I love them."
James, Age Uk
"John actually showed us it and he took us around and showed us all the dogs... it's great fun and it's nice that not just kids can enjoy it, but adults as well."
Holly, Northwoods
"I think it's great actually. I think it helps bring businesses that have that picture in there into the forefront of people's minds."
Jamie, Pinto Lounge
"I think the trail is good. In fact it's probably encouraging businesses that didn't allow dogs in to now let them in, which is good."
Lisa, Orinoco
"We have had somebody walk past today and take a picture of the sticker on the window and then our sign, so they're obviously doing the trail."
Donna, Harrolds Opticians
"It's a good opportunity to get people through the door. If they feel comfortable with their little furry friend with them and they can just have a quiet, relaxing look at your products...you're more likely to have that repeat customer coming back to you."
Rosie and John, Crofts
Banbury Dog Art Trail
From a community mural to a town wide trail, celebrating the joy dogs bring to our lives through bespoke art and movement.
The Challenge:
The Banbury Dog Art Trail grew from an unexpected discovery during A Happy Space, ThomFong’s community art project exploring what makes Banbury a happy place. Through creative workshops with local schoolchildren, we discovered how important pets were to their ideas of happiness, comfort and wellbeing.
This insight inspired a new opportunity: to take the joy of these illustrated dogs beyond the mural and into the town itself, creating an engaging outdoor art trail that would encourage people to explore Banbury, discover local businesses and celebrate the special bond between people and their dogs.
Our Approach:
From mural to movement
Inspired by the response to the 153 illustrated dogs created for A Happy Space, we developed the idea into a standalone Dog Art Trail. Building on the playful character of the original illustrations, we created 26 unique dog artworks that invite people to explore Banbury in a new way.
Combining creativity with movement
A key goal at ThomFong is to combine creativity with movement, encouraging people to engage with the world around them in new and meaningful ways. The Dog Art Trail brings this ambition to life, transforming a walk through Banbury into an interactive creative experience. By giving people something to discover along the way, the trail encourages residents and visitors to get outdoors, explore at their own pace and enjoy the town with their four legged companions.
Celebrating Banbury's dog friendly businesses
Banbury already has a welcoming community of dog friendly businesses. To celebrate this, we designed bespoke dog friendly stickers that local businesses could display, making it easier for dog owners to identify places where their four legged companions are welcome. The stickers extend the project's playful visual identity beyond the trail, celebrating local businesses and helping people discover more of what Banbury has to offer.
The Outcome:
26 unique dogs, one connected community
The finished Dog Art Trail brings 26 distinctive dog artworks to Banbury, building on the community spirit of A Happy Space. What began as children's observations about the happiness pets bring to our lives has grown into a town wide creative experience, inviting people of all ages to discover the artworks and see familiar places from a fresh perspective.
Creativity that brings people together
Alongside the trail, the dog friendly stickers help local businesses communicate their welcome to dog owners, extending the project's impact into the town's everyday life. By combining bespoke illustration, public art and thoughtful design, ThomFong has created a connected experience that encourages movement, supports local businesses and celebrates the relationships that make a community special.