Creative folks ... get busy! The Bermuda Sloop Foundation and Masterworks need your talent for a fundraiser they’re calling Art 4 Sail.

All that’s needed is a few ideas for decorating a 4ft fibreglass sloop. Residents have until March 30 to apply; the pieces must be completed by September 7. An October auction will raise needed cash. Bermuda Sloop Foundation CEO Diana Martin and Masterworks’ curator, Elise Outerbridge, tell us more ...

Q: How did you come up with the idea for the fundraiser?

Elise: A few years ago Masterworks did a similar programme called Hog Wild. People from the community were able to collect these fibreglass hogs and decorate them and the best designs were given prizes. With that one we raised a significant amount of money for our organisation so we thought partnering with the Bermuda Sloop Foundation this time around would be perfect. People can take these sloops and decorate or paint them. They’ll be auctioned off in October — around the same time as the Sloop Foundation’s tenth anniversary gala. People can then display them around their home or pools or wherever.

Why did that initial project work so well do you think?

Elise: With the last one like this it proved to be a really dynamic community event. It attracted people from all walks — professional artists and amateurs as well. It was a feel-good event and we’re confident this one will be as well. You can get friends or colleagues together and come up with creative ways to decorate your boat. I’d like to see people using different mediums and different interpretations of sails and our maritime history. It could be almost anything.

When we did the hogs people created the most imaginative, interesting and, in some instances, crazy pieces of art. We had one hog that was decorated to look like bacon. I think it’s just about letting your imagination run wild. Pembroke Paint has generously donated the materials, so you don’t have to buy all this stuff on your own. This makes it more accessible to people in the community as well.

Diana: The amazing thing with this year is there’s no theme, people can just let their imaginations go wild. They don’t have to be necessarily painted they can be collages or whatever — as long as the end product can be varnished and is water-resistant then it’s fine.

Why did you decide to partner?

Elise: We actually have a history of partnership between Masterworks Foundation and The Bermuda Sloop Foundation. We were able to work together a couple of years ago and this time around we were looking for another way to partner. We see ourselves as being two like-minded organisations.

Diana: Yes, we’re both involved with education and the Sloop Foundation focuses on the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. We wanted to bring awareness to the fact education also involves the arts and they’ve recently acknowledged that by calling it STEAM. So the idea is to bring awareness, while raising funds.

And of course, it’s in keeping with all that’s happening here in 2017.

Elise: Bermuda Tourism Authority has got behind the project and is sponsoring it. For them it’s good timing as well because they are promoting all things nautical at the moment in the lead-up to the America’s Cup in 2017. The good thing about these boats is they’re small enough that if a visitor wanted to buy one and take it back to their home country they could still do that. It’s interesting to note that a number of America’s Cup sailors — Team Japan and Artemis — are all going to be decorating boats as well. These will be for auction and should attract a lot of interest I believe.

Why do you hope people take part?

Diana: We really want people to have fun with this and hope, through this, they’ll become aware of our different educational programmes for young people. We hope people will appreciate we’re two charities working together, doing this for the benefit of Bermuda and Bermudians.

• To register e-mail artmworks@logic.bm