The rich history of Staithes will come to the fore during this September’s Festival of Arts and Heritage with the première of a short film on the village’s fishing history.
The Festival, which celebrates the village’s long association with both art and the sea, runs from 13-15 September. It will see 110 artists, including oil painters, water colourists, sculptors, jewellers, ceramicists and textile designers, descending on Staithes, creating a unique selling exhibition of pop-up galleries in the village’s cottages and historic buildings.
Alongside the galleries, the Festival promises a full programme of music, including a performance by the Queen of English folk, Eliza Carthy, plus talks, workshops and events. These include a première of What the Sea Saw, a short film capturing the memories of the fishing community in Staithes from the 1950s to the present day.
The film is the latest in a series of creative works by Digital Drama as part of a National Heritage Lottery-funded project produced in partnership with the Staithes Museum and Heritage Trust and Scarborough Maritime Heritage Centre.
Festival-goers also have the rare opportunity to be shown around a reconstruction of the Neolithic salt production process at the UK’s earliest known saltworks at Boulby near Staithes by leading archaeologist Dr Stephen Sherlock who discovered the site.
Inspirational women with local connections are the focus of 10 heritage talks, including Laura Knight whose passion for Staithes led to it becoming an impressionist artists’ colony; Gertrude Bell who grew up in Redcar and lived an extraordinary life as a Middle Eastern adventurer, writer and archaeologist; and philanthropist Ruth Pennyman of Ormesby Hall near Middlesbrough.
As night falls, the village, footbridge and surrounding cliffs will become the backdrop for some spectacular lighting.
Throughout the weekend, Staithes will be alive to the sounds of music with street buskers and local musicians performing, such as Dire Staithes, the Saltburn Ukelele Band, Irish folk duo Nick Rooke and Paul Blackburn, while the Men of Staithes traditional choir will bring the event to a close.
Like previous years, the Festival organisers support many local causes from the proceeds of the event. Since 2014, the Festival has donated over £38,000 to initiatives and charities such as Staithes Sports Association, Great North Air Ambulance, RNLI and the Cowbar Nature Reserve.
Jackie Ambrosini, one of the organisers of the Festival comments:
“Staithes has long been a magnet for artists who are inspired by the light and landscape along this stretch of coastline. It provides a fabulous backdrop for the galleries, which create an immersive experience for visitors. Not only are they meeting artists in an informal setting, but they’re getting a glimpse into quirky cottages and the hidden history of the village.”
Georgia Tiffany, Tourism Community Engagement Officer for the North York Moors National Park adds:
“Art is an incredibly important aspect of the National Park as the landscape, the heritage and the people all provide a rich and continuing source of inspiration for artists, which in-turn attracts visitors who are keen to see their work. This is why events such as the Staithes Festival are essential as a way of boosting support to those artists, as well as providing a truly memorable and enjoyable day out for people.”
The Staithes Festival of Arts and Heritage, supported by the North York Moors National Park, is free to attend; some events will be ticketed.
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