High-flying Bath firms are being urged to swoop on the last few Minerva’s Owls statues available for sponsorship as the city’s eagerly-anticipated three-month public art trail gets underway today.
More than 80 large owl and smaller owlet sculptures have been nesting around the city centre and in surrounding towns such as Bradford-on-Avon, Newton St Loe, Corsham and Street over the past week ahead of today’s start. 
It is the latest public art sculpture trail from the team behind the hugely popular Lions of Bath in 2010 and King Bladud’s Pigs in 2008 – which was one of the UK’s first major sculpture trails of its kind. Minerva’s Owls of Bath lasts until September 10.
Most of the 82 owls and owlets have landed financial backing from Bath firms with headline sponsor SouthGate joined by a raft of supporters ranging from workplace design firm Interaction and software developer Rocketmakers to legal eagles Mogers Drewett and Mowbray Woodwards.
But a few are still available for wise firms to sponsor, including a punk rock owl chosen by wildlife TV presenter and Bath ‘owlbassador’ Chris Packham which is perched in the Victoria Art Gallery.
Business sponsors have worked alongside some of the best artists from the South West and beyond to create an array of colourful, bespoke designs.
Mogers Drewett’s owl has been inspired by the Bath Herschel Museum of Astronomy and showcases a beautiful sparkling night sky decorated with silhouettes of the astronomers William and Caroline Herschel painted by artist Lois Cordelia.
Mowbray Woodwards’ owl has been designed and created by Nyamachomastapeace, a collaboration between two friends and conceptual Bristol-based artists – one of them a lawyer at Mowbray Woodwards.
The design is a satirical and comical reminder of where the right to make a choice, and the right to freedom of expression comes from. Latin, Roman law and the right to free expression are as old as the baths that make Bath world famous.
During the three-month event, beady-eyed visitors will have a hoot spotting the sculptures in tourist hotspots like Pulteney Bridge and The Circus, outside Bath’s best shops, restaurants and hotels, and residing
The project takes inspiration from the Roman Goddess of Wisdom, Minerva, to whom the Roman Baths Temple was dedicated in the 1st century AD, and whose symbol was the all-seeing owl of wisdom.
Event organiser Megan Witty said: “The Minerva’s Owls trail has inspired so much originality from local businesses and schools and some wonderful new partnerships have been forged between businesses, schools and charities.
“After all these months of preparation, it’s wonderful to finally reveal these eye-catching supersized owls to the public and to inspire visitors to come to our beautiful World Heritage city for some feather-filled fun this summer!”
SouthGate centre manager Guy Henderson added: “Minerva’s Owls of Bath is going to be the talk of Bath for the next three months as residents and visitors either seek out or stumble across these magnificent artworks in all corners of our city and beyond.
“We’re very proud to be headline sponsor of this great initiative. There’s no better time to discover all the delights Bath has to offer this summer, including the stunning wisteria archways we also have installed here at SouthGate Bath.”
At the end of the event, all the owls will be gathered together for a final Hoot Farewell weekend on October 6 and 7, before being auctioned off to raise money for four local charities – the new Royal United Hospital Cancer Centre, the Bath Young Carers Centre, the Roman Baths Archway Project and the UK Little Owl Project, which is based in Bath.
For more information about sponsorship, visit the Minerva’s Owls website at www.minervasowls.org
