The cliffs of Staithes will be illuminated this evening as part of this years' Staithes Festival.
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.
Organiser Jackie Ambrosini says the cliff illuminations tonight and tomorrow are always a favourite with festival goers.
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.
The festival also includes a series of ten local heritage talks which Jackie Ambrosini says will cover a wide range of topics.
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.
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.”
Jackie Ambrosini says that the Staithes festival has now been running for over a decade with this years event marking it's tenth outing.
The Staithes Festival of Arts and Heritage, supported by the North York Moors National Park, is free to attend; some events will be ticketed.
For further information including event booking details go to https://staithesfestival.com/festival/
- Friday 13 September 6.30pm-9.30pm preview night (some galleries: 7-8.30pm, live music, heritage film show)
- Saturday 14 September galleries open 10am-5.30pm, heritage talks and walks, music events and buskers throughout the village, cafes, and food and drink pop ups
- Sunday 15 September galleries open 10am-5.30pm, heritage talks and walks, music events and buskers throughout the village, cafes, and food and drink pop ups
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