The artist commissioned to create a public artwork to mark Scarborough’s 400th anniversary since becoming a spa town has spoken of his pride at being given the opportunity to create a legacy for the resort.
Jethro Crabb has been given the responsibility for creating the sculpture that is due to be placed near the seafront in Scarborough’s South Bay and close to the town’s Spa complex.
The internationally renowned sculptor has a wide-ranging career including working for Madame Tussauds and helping to create waxworks for some of the biggest celebrities in the world, including singer Taylor Swift and actors Brad Pitt and Meryl Streep.
He has also created commissions for heritage sites such as Blenheim Palace and international organisations including The Official Formula 1 Exhibition.
The bronze sculpture for Scarborough will be called Aqua Vitalis and is due to feature a striking female figure inspired by Thomasin Farrer, who discovered the apparently medicinal properties of the town’s spa waters in 1626. The discovery laid the foundation for Scarborough’s reputation as a health retreat and paved the way for its status as Britain’s first seaside resort.
The sculpture is set to depict a figure raising a golden jug in a celebratory pose, symbolising both Scarborough’s heritage and its hopes for the future.
Mr Crabb, 44, whose workshop is based in Surrey, said:
“It is a huge honour to be entrusted with creating an artwork that is due to feature so prominently in Scarborough.
“Women are still significantly underrepresented in public sculpture across the UK, and this artwork will help to address that imbalance by placing a local woman at the centre of the story.
“I feel very lucky to have the opportunity to be responsible for the artwork and I hope that it will be treasured by Scarborough’s residents and visitors alike for many years to come.”
The sculpture is part of a programme of events which is being coordinated by North Yorkshire Council and local organisations to honour the town’s rich past, while shining a spotlight on Scarborough as a must-visit destination now and into the future.
Tourism in Scarborough generates nearly £580 million each year and contributes to North Yorkshire’s visitor economy which is worth more than £4 billion annually.
The sculpture is being funded through a £100,000 grant from the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which is being administered in the county by the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority.
North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for arts and culture, Cllr Simon Myers, said:
“We want to make sure that this year is marked with a series of events that truly capture just how special Scarborough is for everyone who lives and works in the town, as well as all the visitors who come to the resort.
“To have someone of Jethro’s standing to create the artwork is a real coup for Scarborough and the whole of North Yorkshire. I have seen the designs for the sculpture, and it is set to be a truly striking piece of artwork as a celebration of the town through the years as well as inspiring what the future holds too.”
A key part of the project to create the sculpture is a focus on engaging with Scarborough’s school pupils to help to make sure local communities feel connected to the artwork through creative workshops.
Invited children will be able to take part in the workshops during the spring and drawings they create celebrating the town’s seaside traditions will be included in the sculpture.
Mr Crabb said:
“These workshops are designed to be fun, hands on and welcoming, giving local children a real sense of ownership and pride in the finished piece.
“One of the main reasons that I became involved in public artworks is the fact that they are part of people’s everyday lives, and you don’t have to go to a museum or an art gallery to see them.
“I visited Scarborough to see where the sculpture is set to be in place, and what struck me is that is such a special place. It is fascinating to know how it has grown into the town it is now after the discovery of the spa waters all those years ago.”
Once planning permission has been secured, the sculpture will be located at the centre of a roundabout close to Scarborough Spa. The location marks the site where the original spa pump was based, although access is now not possible due to repeated flooding. The artwork is due to be unveiled in the autumn.
The chair of the council’s Scarborough and Whitby area committee, Cllr Liz Colling, said:
“We all hope that the artwork will become a part of the fabric of the town and that it will be woven into the daily lives of everyone who lives here.
“It is a wonderful idea to allow children to have a say on how the sculpture evolves through the creative workshops. This is set to be a really special landmark for the whole of Scarborough and everyone who visits the town.”
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