How Staithes went back to its artistic roots to draw in visitors

The photogenic village of Staithes will become a hive of creative activity and appreciation this weekend when it hosts its fifth annual arts and heritage festival.

More than a hundred artists will be exhibiting their work – paintings, prints, sculpture, jewellery, glass and crafts, all for sale – in tucked-away studios and cottages as well as in the open air.

The village has long been associated with the visual arts.Artists have been drawn to it since the 19th century when the famous Staithes group was established which included renowned artists Laura Knight and her husband and fellow painter Harold.

Now in its fifth year, the festival – like all the best ideas – eventually came to fuition over conversations in a local hostelry. “A few years ago I went up to an art festival in Pittenweem in Scotland – it’s an old fishing village with cottages around the harbour and they had pop-up galleries,” says Al Milnes, one of the festival founders and owner, with her husband, of the Staithes Gallery. “I thought it was wonderful and the whole time I was there I kept thinking ‘we could do this in Staithes’. We talked about it in the pub for a while, then a group of us got together and thought – let’s give it a go.”

It was decided that because of Staithes’ rich history, a heritage strand should also be included and this year’s heritage exhibition focusses on the railway – Staithes at one point had the tallest viaduct in the North of England, which straddled the village until it was dismantled in the 1960s after the closure of the line. There will be guided walks that look at the secret history of smuggling and a talk by James Hart about the discovery of a special diary.

“James will be talking about how he found and came to publish the 1901 holiday diary of a young woman called Enid Robinson,” says Milnes. “She was an amateur painter seeking instruction in Staithes. She describes the atmosphere of the village at the time and it is fascinating.” Other talks touch on fossil hunting and how to create a coastal garden. There are also music events to enjoy including a performance by fishermen’s choir Men of Staithes.

The main focus of the festival, however, is the visual arts with a wide range of work being exhibited as local artists open up their homes to welcome visitors. There are art workshops for those who are inspired to have a go themselves including a class with Teesside artist and Eton drawing master Ian Burke whose own work will also be on display.

“The festival has certainly grown over the years in terms of the numbers of artists who participate and the involvement of local families and the school,” says Milnes. “This year the children have produced some lanterns for the light show using recycled plastic bottles fitted with LED lights – it creates a wonderful spectacle. It is great for the children because they see their work being part of something bigger with other artists.”

One of the highlights of the outdoor events will on the beach where light artist Mick Stephenson will create a large-scale glow stick installation. The light generated will throw dramatic shadows onto the cliffs of dinosaurs created by sculptor Emma Stothard. “Staithes is such a spectacular setting for a festival,” says Milnes. “The art is beautiful, accessible work. Everyone can get pleasure from it and that’s what we were trying to achieve.”

September 9-11. www.staithesfestival.com