Bee in the City creators’ new trail features twelve giant snowmen - soon to be auctioned for Children in Need

When 77 of the supersized critters from Bee in the City were auctioned off for charity in October, they raised a whopping £1.1 million - with the majority fetching well over £10,000. 

Didn’t have a spare ten grand knocking around? Well now there’s another chance to get your mitts on a giant piece of public art, thanks to the very same creators.

Yes, Wild in Art - the team behind the stonking summer success of Bee in the City - is back with a decidedly more wintry trail called Walking with the Snowman, in partnership with Penguin Ventures. Currently on display around MediaCity, it features twelve giant snowmen; all of which will be auctioned off next month in aid of Children in Need. 

Designed to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Raymond Briggs’ classic picture book The Snowman™, each sculpture is themed on a verse from The Twelve Days of Christmas and was decorated by a local artist who also participated in Bee in the City.

The snowmen are hoped to raise £30,000 and the online auction is now live: bidding ends on 10 January.

Ben Reed, Head of Creative Development at Wild in Art, says: “Our beautiful Snowmen will make really special gifts that keep on giving. Judging by the love that the Snowmen have already seen from visitors to the trail, we hope that the online charity auction will be popular and will help us to raise vital funds for BBC Children in Need. 

2018 12 21 Walking With The Snowman
Some of the Snowmen Walking with the Snowman

"With themes of friendship, imagination and adventure, The Snowman is the ultimate Christmas story to explore with family and friends. And with twelve sculptures all themed on The Twelve Days of Christmas, it really doesn’t get any more Christmassy!" 

Whether you’re planning to bid or not, you can still catch the trail until Sunday 6 January. A free map, which includes games and puzzles, is available to pick up from the Lowry Outlet, The Lowry and MediaCityUK’s Open Centre; or you can download a copy from the website at walkingwiththesnowman.co.uk/art-trail

About BBC Children in Need

BBC Children in Need’s vision is that every child in the UK has a safe, happy and secure childhood and the chance to reach their potential. The charity will realise this vision by supporting, promoting and publicising work that addresses the challenges that children and young people face and work that builds their skills and resilience.

BBC Children in Need is currently supporting over 2,700 projects in communities across the UK that are helping children and young people facing a range of disadvantages such as living in poverty, being disabled or ill, or experiencing distress, neglect or trauma.

bbc.co.uk/Pudsey

Main image: Karen Wright