The time has come for businesses to stake their claim to one of the Oor Wullie sculptures that will form part of a “bucket trail” round Dundee next summer.
And local artists are also being urged to get on board to submit their designs for the figures.
Fifty Oor Wullies will be scattered throughout the city next year as part of a major campaign aimed at raising money for Tayside Children’s Hospital at Ninewells.
The ARCHIE Foundation, along with the Wild in Art group, supported by the Evening Telegraph and other DC Thomson titles, hope to raise thousands of pounds for the hospital.
The plan is to create two state-of-the-art operating theatres, which is the dream of consultant anaesthetist at the hospital, Grant Rodney.
DC Thomson’s Oor Wullie has been chosen as the key figure for the campaign that was launched at the end of last month.
Each of the sculptures will be sponsored by a local business. The company’s name will go on a plaque attached to the sculpture and it will be up to the individual company to organise an artist to create unique and colourful designs for each one.
A spokesman for the ARCHIE Foundation said they were now anxious to recruit sponsors and artists to take the campaign to the next level.
He said: “The Oor Wullie sculptures start off blank and we want local artists to pitch their ideas for painting them. We want to create a colourful trail around Dundee for locals and visitors alike to follow over a 10-week period next summer.”
The spokesman said that a map will be created to give people a chance to hunt out all the sculptures across Dundee.
He added: “It is then hoped that people will take selfies with the Oor Wullie sculptures and add to the fun.”
The trail will draw to a close in early September.
A similar project, run by the same group in Aberdeen, Wild Dolphins, raised £531,000 for the foundation and for Whale and Dolphin Conservation.