Giant sea creatures lead Staithes art invasion

Emma Stothard with her lobster sculptures ahead of the Staithes Festival of Arts and Heritage.

The 9ft marine crustaceans are exhibits in the ‘Sculpture By The Sea’ exhibition in this year’s Staithes Festival of Arts and Heritage.

The coated metal ‘Coronation Catch’ exhibit, positioned in the harbour, reflects the importance of lobster fishing in the area. They were designed by Whitby sculptor Emma Stothard, whose work is featured nationwide including at Prince Charles’ Highgrove residence and Raymond Blanc’s Belmond Le Manoir Aux Quat’ Saisons restaurant in Oxfordshire.

In total, the creative masterpieces of some 145 artists will take over Staithes, near Whitby, this weekend as cottages, shops and outdoors spaces transformed into 90 galleries.

One of the 9ft lobsters in Staithes Harbour. Picture: Tony Bartholomew.

The festival is supported by the Coastal Communities Fund as part of the ‘Sea Life, See Life’ project delivered by the North York Moors National Park Authority, and features buskers, pop-up tea rooms and an outdoor picture show. The event is free to enter and the galleries are open from 10am until 5.30pm on both Saturday and Sunday.