Scarborough Streets Festival to Continue as Theatre Secures Vital Funding

The future of the popular Scarborough Streets festival has been secured following the successful application for significant funding by the Stephen Joseph Theatre (SJT).

The theatre has teamed up with The Scarborough Fair and Scarborough Business Ambassadors to ensure the vibrant programme of arts and culture continues once the initial funding for The Scarborough Fair concludes in March 2026.

The SJT is set to receive a grant of £149,479 from Phase Two of the Combined Authorty's Vibrant and Sustainable High Streets Fund. This investment is designed to revitalise high streets across the region, supporting them to broaden their appeal to both residents and visitors.

Caroline Routh, Chief Executive of the Stephen Joseph Theatre, outlined the scope of the partnership and the impact of the grant, noting the focus on local involvement and revitalising the town centre.

Speaking about the collaboration, Caroline said:

"We've partnered with Scarborough Fair and with Scarborough business ambassadors and brilliantly got 150,000 from the combined authority.

And it's supporting a lot of activity in and around the town centre particularly at the times of year when there's maybe fewer people around and we're trying to encourage people to come into the town centre a bit more.

There's a focus on some extra activity in the winter lights festival starting this year and then some of the streets activities which is the stuff that's out in the town centre, free for the public, free for residents, lots of performances and activities for people to get involved in".

The Scarborough Streets programme is an extension of The Scarborough Fair and has been praised as one of its most successful strands, offering numerous free events for families and residents and drawing thousands of additional visitors to the town centre.

Caroline Routh emphasised the positive community response, citing previous successes:

"We've just finished doing Autumn Streets, which was actually funded by the Combined Authority again just to make that happen in October. And that was hugely popular, felt really buzzy, loads of people getting involved, loads of things for people to do.

And I think that's been a real hit from the Scarborough Fair, getting stuff out there, getting people involved. It's been amazing to see how many artists and local people have really got behind these festivals because they feel it belongs to them".

She further highlighted the successful coming together of the town’s community and business sector:

"One of the things I've really loved seeing most over the last couple of years, just people suddenly seeing what's possible and the Autumn Streets Festival that's just happened, the number of businesses who got involved, either creating special offers or doing discounts that they could offer out to people when they came in to to see some of the activities. It was brilliant. It felt like a real positive coming together of the town".

Julian Caddy, Director of The Scarborough Fair, welcomed the decision, asserting that the funding is a "game-changer to help support both the creative and high street business economies when it is so urgently needed". The renewed programme is anticipated to bring more people into the town and showcase the best of Scarborough for residents and visitors alike.

Community Ownership Key to Success

Although The Scarborough Fair is responsible for programming the arts and culture, the SJT supports the initiative by providing support services, Caroline says the existing Scarborough Fair Team will continue to deliver the streets festival next year.

"The Scarborough Fair people know exactly what they're doing. So they do all of the delivery.

We provide a lot of support in terms of the venue itself, our marketing team, our box office team. We've hosted some meetings with businesses to help them develop offers around different activities.

So it's that kind of thing that that we do. We play to our strengths and we let the Scarborough Fair team play to theirs," 

Crucially, the success of the programme is rooted in its focus on the local community rather than solely tourism.

Caroline Routh underlined the resident-centric approach:

"It does feel like it's a really positive story. It feels like it's great for the town centre. It's great for local artists cuz I know they get really involved.

And I think for me the really important thing, and I know it is for Julian and Katherine at Scarborough Fair as well, is that this does actually feel like it's really owned by the town and its residents. This is not something particularly aimed at the tourist market. This is about this is aimed at the people of Scarborough and the residents and giving them stuff to do and them stuff to get involved in. And I think that's why it's been such a success".

She added that while national recognition and high-profile acts are positive, local involvement is essential for long-term viability:

"There has been national press, there has been kind of like some high-profile acts and that's been really positive.

But the thing that I've really love seeing it is that local involvement because I think if it doesn't if it doesn't come from within the town, if it doesn't start at the town and its residents and its locals, the national reputation will never sustain it.

When they had the Scarborough Fringe and they do a series of awards at the end of it for everyone who's been involved in that, it was brilliant because some of the artists there were just standing up and going, 'This is our festival. This is something that we've created. We all now have to work together to make sure it can continue. And that I think is worth so much".

Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, David Skaith, has committed a further £1.7m across 19 successful projects in the region. Mr Skaith noted his support for the Scarborough project, 

"High streets are constantly changing, but they have, and always will be, hubs for our communities. That's why I'm backing community-led projects across York and North Yorkshire, like Scarborough Streets, which will offer a year-round series of festivals and events to drive footfall and business to the high street of Scarborough.

"Residents and businesses understand most what is needed in their communities, and I am proud to be backing their plans with my £10m Vibrant and Sustainable High Street Fund." 

SJT Chief Executive Caroline Routh stated that the theatre is

"so pleased to have been able to secure this funding with The Scarborough Fair – it’ll go straight into events which we know the people of Scarborough have been asking for”.

The upcoming events will follow the theme of Scarborough 400, celebrating 400 years as a seaside resort. Businesses are encouraged to participate through promotional offers and family activities.

Confirmed events under the renewed programme include:

• Scarborough Town Centre Advent Calendars (2025 and 2026)
• Scarborough Streets 2026 (29 to 31 May 2026)
• Fringe Streets 2026 (13 June 2026)
• Scarborough Art Market (4 July 2026)
• Autumn Streets (10 and 11 October 2026)