AUGUSTA — The leaping, multicolored fiberglass sturgeons that have brought artistic, river-running whimsy to downtown Augusta are up for grabs — to the highest bidders.

A fiberglass sturgeon adorns Water Street in Augusta in April. In 2022, the Augusta Downtown Alliance had area artists paint and decorate the sturgeon sculptures. The alliance then installed the artwork throughout the downtown area. The sculptures have been added to an auction that began earlier this month. Bidding is set to close at 8 p.m. Friday. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal

In 2022, an Augusta Downtown Alliance project bought 26 fiberglass sturgeon sculptures and had 25 area artists paint and decorate them. The sculptures were then installed throughout the downtown area in a grant-funded public art initiative celebrating one of the area’s more colorful connections to the Kennebec River.

Massive sturgeon annually come up the Kennebec River from the sea, leap out of the river and belly flop back into the water with a loud splash, many in the section of river seen from the city’s downtown riverfront.

Twenty-five of the sculptures are now up for bid in an online auction.

The auction began earlier this month, and bidding closes at 8 p.m. Friday.

As of Wednesday afternoon, 84 bids had been placed on the sculptures, with each of the fiberglass fish receiving at least one bid at or, in most cases, more than the minimum bid of $400, according to Jeremy Ashlock, executive director of the Augusta Downtown Alliance.

Ashlock said the grant-funded program had the intention of auctioning off the sturgeon after the public art display period as a way to give back to the artists for their efforts, and help fund ongoing revitalization efforts in downtown Augusta.

A fiberglass sturgeon adorns Water Street in Augusta in April. In 2022, the Augusta Downtown Alliance had area artists paint and decorate the sturgeon sculptures. The alliance then installed the artwork throughout the downtown area. The sculptures have been added to an auction that began earlier this month. Bidding is set to close at 8 p.m. Friday. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal

“We’re excited. The feedback and support have been great. All the sturgeon have received bids, so every artist is going to receive compensation, so that’s good,” Ashlock said. “This auction not only gives people a chance to own a piece of this extraordinary project, but also helps us continue the meaningful work that keeps our community thriving.”

Those wishing to submit a bid or bids should visit the alliance’s sturgeon auction page — augustadowntownalliance.betterworld.org.

By Wednesday, the bidding had reached $16,300, according to Ashlock. He said the alliance’s goal is to raise $20,000.

Each artist is to receive half of the proceeds from the sale of his or her work, with the Augusta Downtown Alliance getting the other half, up to $1,000 per sculpture. After bids reach $1,000, the downtown alliance is to get all proceeds that exceed $1,000 per fiberglass sturgeon.

Ashlock said the alliance’s share of the funds will help pay for the organization’s annual operations and events, including Halloween and other holiday festivities, beautification projects and other efforts to promote the downtown area.

He said it might make sense to spend some of the money from the auction on other public art projects.

A 26th sturgeon, painted by Heather Allen Szela, is not part of the auction because it was given to the crew of the USS Augusta, a 419-foot Navy combat ship during its commissioning in Eastport in 2023.

Of the 25 sturgeon sculptures up for auction, the highest bid as of Wednesday was $1,300 for the work of central Maine artist C.P. Sketch.

Some bidders have made offers on several of the sculptures. The bidders have not indicated what they would do with the artwork.

Officials said they hope some of the winning bidders, or “sturgeon stewards,” will lend or give some of the sculptures to the alliance for display during the summer in downtown Augusta.

“They’re fiberglass. They’re not meant to be out on the street for 25 years,” Ashlock said, adding it is difficult to use public or private funds to cover the cost of storing 25 sturgeon sculptures.

One of the sculptures was created by members of the Augusta Teen Center, a nonprofit organization that would benefit from the artwork’s sale.

The Augusta Downtown Alliance’s next event is the Kick Off to Fall Fair with Smokey’s Greater Shows, which includes carnival rides and games from Thursday through Sunday at Mill Park. Admission to the annual festival is free, and a portion of the ride bracelet sales goes to the alliance.