Back in March, Martlets announced Brandwatch as headline sponsor of their Snailspace art trail. A few months later, with plenty in the works and the trail soon going live, we wanted to give you more details on what it’s all about and what we’ve been up to.

What is the Snailspace art trail?

Brighton readers may remember the 44 giant Snowdog sculptures that suddenly appeared across the city in September 2016. The event was put on by Martlets Hospice, a local charity dedicated to providing the very best care and support for people affected by terminal illness in Brighton and Hove.

Becoming hotspots for photos, selfies and many amusing happenings, as well as raising awareness for the charity throughout the event, the dogs were eventually auctioned off to the highest bidders to help fund all the good work Martlets do for the local community

The auction alone raised £337k , not to mention the donations that came in throughout the event. It was a huge success that saw a city come together to engage with and enjoy something unique and inspiring.

So, two years on, Martlets are doing it all over again.

Except this time Brighton will see 50 giant snails (and another 50 junior snails) pop up at various spots around the city. All individually designed, they’ll be auctioned at the end of the campaign too.

But why snails? With Martlets involvement in hospice care, they’re all about helping people do the things they love with the time they have.

“This year, our art trail features a sculpture design that resonates so wonderfully with the work we do at Martlets: the slow-paced and thought-provoking snail. The snail encompasses the importance of slowing down and taking time to appreciate the things in life that make us smile. The vibrant snails across our city, painted by local artists, will be a constant reminder to take a moment to enjoy the time we have with the people we share our lives with.”

                                                                                        – Martlets Hospice

The snails will create the snailway, a route you can take to wander the city of Brighton in a way most usually don’t. Rather than rushing to and from work, home and the shops, the snailway will encourage people to experience the city in a different, more contemplative way.

The snails take to the streets on the 15 September and will stick around until the 18 November, giving everyone plenty of time to visit them all.

If you want to donate or find out more about Snailspace, you can find their website here.

Why has Brandwatch got involved?

We believe in supporting the local community, helping it to grow and succeed in its own unique way. We support the Brighton Digital Festival, while our creative director Katja Garrood sits on the board , plus we’ve worked with the RSPCA, Clock Tower Sanctuary, Terrence Higgins Trust, and the Brighton Housing Trust.

This is one of the main reasons we’ve joined the Snailspace campaign. A city-wide event that will raise money for an important cause and bring the local population and visitors together to enjoy the city in a relaxed, appreciative way.

How could we not get involved?

We also think it’s a good message for our employees too. A recent study found 48% of people do nothing about work-related stress, which can lead to physical and mental health issues. The message behind the Snailspace campaign is a valuable one: take time to wind down and take stock of things. We think people will really benefit from doing this more.

What is Brandwatch doing for the event?

As part of being main sponsor, we are fortunate enough to have two of our own snails that will be placed at two iconic locations in the city: Pavillion Gardens and on the seafront near the i360. Designed by our own talented team and brought to life by Cardiff-based custom prop and model makers, Specialist Models, we’re really excited for everyone to see them. Tune in next month for the big reveal!

Being a social intelligence company, each snail will also have its own Twitter handle that will be active throughout the event, plus a fun little interactive element which we hope people visiting the snails will engage with and enjoy.

We have to keep specific details under wraps for now until launch day, but safe to say they’ll fit in perfectly with Brighton and its historic past as a place of relaxation and fun for the entire country.