Three of the UK鈥檚 top tech companies have come together to design an app showcasing聽Manchester’s Bee in the City art trail.
Ten years since Wild in Art鈥檚 first event, the public art specialist is marking聽its milestone year by bringing together leading digital companies to produce the Bee in the City app.
Featuring an聽augmented reality bee, pedometer and integration with outdoor digital screens, the app has had more than 17,000 downloads and nearly 1 million Bee 鈥榰nlocks鈥� to date.
Developed by digital marketing agency Mediaworks, it offers players the chance to collect bees, vote for their favourite and earn rewards around this summer鈥檚 art trail in Manchester.
Visitors to the trail can download the app to track down all super-sized bees painted by artists, as well as the little bees created by children and young people.
AR bee Buzzi was created by animation studio聽Factory and joins more than 230 bee sculptures displayed around the city. Exclusive to app players, Buzzi can be seen flying to its 鈥榟ive鈥� on St Peter鈥檚 Square through the camera on mobile devices.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a great project to work on creating the augmented reality bee,鈥� said Factory managing director Phil Chalk.
鈥淲e have worked with many, much-loved characters in our animated series, but this demonstrates the talent and ability of our team and highlights the quality and flexible production resources that we have.鈥�
As well as helping visitors to locate the sculptures dotted around Manchester鈥檚 most popular landmarks and hidden spots, the app offers its players rewards and trophies along the way.
By inputting the code that鈥檚 printed on each sculpture鈥檚 plaque each time they find a bee, players can unlock retail discounts, prizes and exclusive content.
Another first for Wild in Art, the app is integrated with outdoor advertising screens. Media company Ocean Outdoor, a Bee in the City media partner, is giving players a chance to see themselves on the big screens around Manchester.
Players simply upload their photos and Twitter handles through the app and the shots that make it onto the big screen are tweeted to notify the player.
App players are also encouraged to stay fit by tracking their distance, steps and time on the trail using the pedometer sponsored by Well Pharmacy, a Bee in the City presenting partner.聽Players can also add photos to the Bee Gallery and share on social media.
Wild in Art marketing director Ruth McAllister added: 鈥淭he app brings even more enjoyment to Bee in the City, which transforms Manchester into a fun, free, family-friendly art gallery this summer.
鈥淭he art trail marks a significant milestone in Wild in Art鈥檚 history of connecting communities, businesses and artists through creativity, and we鈥檙e delighted to be working alongside Mediaworks, Factory and Ocean Outdoor to deliver a fitting app.鈥�
The Bee in the City app is available to download from the App Store and Google Play for 拢1.99. From each app purchase, 25 per cent of the net profit is donated to the Lord Mayor of Manchester鈥檚 We Love MCR Charity.
When the art trail finishes on 23 September, all giant bee sculptures are auctioned in October to help raise funds for the We Lover MCR Charity, which aims to support Manchester鈥檚 communities through its grants programme.