For well over a hundred years, at least, artists have been drawn to the small, isolated fishing village of Staithes – once one of the largest fishing ports in the region – to find inspiration in its old world charm.
The Staithes Festival of Arts & Heritage continues that to this day.
Next weekend, from Friday September 11 to Sunday September 13, the village becomes a community of culture and the coast again.
Those doors of the cottages, beset by winding cobbles and orange rooftops in hidden alleyways and yards, are thrown open to the public and turned into a trail of pop-up art galleries showcasing painting, print, ceramics, textiles, sculpture, photography and more.
There is also a packed programme of heritage talks, paying tribute to the social and industrial history of generations of families who lived here, traditions, skills and crafts.
A peek inside these cottages is also a peek into the sometimes perilous lives of local fisherfolk.
No mention of Staithes and art in the same sentence would be complete without reference to The Staithes Group of Artists, a group of British Impressionists who painted in Whitby and along the Yorkshire coast from 1894 to 1909.
And so it is fitting that this year Staithes Festival of Arts & Heritage will shine a spotlight on emerging artists by inviting students from Middlesbrough’s The Northern School of Art to exhibit for the first time here.
Around 15 first and second-year students across a range of creative A Levels and UAL Diplomas will exhibit their work at Gulls Haven in the village.
Becky Tempest, event co-ordinator for Staithes Festival of Arts & Heritage, said: “As Staithes has long been a magnet for artists and a favourite location for those honing their creative skills, it made sense to welcome The Northern School of Art, which is so influential in supporting and nurturing local creative talent.
“The festival blends a perfect mix of heritage, creativity and the sense of community that remains so strong within the village. We’re looking forward to welcoming back previous artists as well as championing new exhibitors, developing the music and heritage programme and introducing new elements to the light show as well.”
There is a preview evening on Friday, 6pm to 9.30pm, where some, but not all, of the galleries, cottages and exhibition spaces around Staithes will be open for an evening of art, music and atmosphere.
A packed programme has been prepared for Saturday and Sunday with some of the highlights being an artist trail across the village on both days taking in 67 venues and 113 artists; Rod Jewell’s Staithes Experience: Heritage Exhibition on Saturday and Sunday, 10am–5pm at Granary Yard Garage Studio for a continuous and rare silent film on the arrival of the motorised Staithes lifeboat in 1924 and slides featuring bygone Staithes in the 1890s; Bill Hinchley’s Guided History Walk on Saturday and Sunday, 11am–1pm from the Bank Top viewpoint, Staithes Lane; and treasure valuations by Caroline Hawley from Bargain Hunt at Poplar House on the High Street.
Staithes Festival of Heritage & Arts has been going since 2012 and since 2014 has donated £35,790 to organisations and community projects.
