Staithes Festival of Arts & Heritage

It’s been called the friendliest festival on the coast. A selling exhibition where cottages across the fishing village of Staithes open their doors as pop-up galleries over one September weekend.

Whether it’s the relaxed atmosphere, the 90 temporary galleries, the street buskers and live music, or the pop up cafés, we’re not sure, but we do know that the Staithes Festival is a great day out!

More than 130 artists, both amateur and professional, exhibit their work in houses and public spaces at the top and bottom of Staithes.

As well as painters and printmakers, you'll find jewellers, ceramicists, craftsmen and women setting out their work in temporary ‘galleries’ in both the lower and upper village.

Kit Wade, Lucy Wilson, Colin Harrison and David Manship are just some of the resident artists in the village that is fast becoming an artists' colony once more, recalling the days when Victorian artists Laura and Harold Knight, Joseph Bagshaw and others came to Staithes and became known as the Staithes Group of Artists.

Festival dates for 2018 are 8 - 9 September

Alongside artist led workshops, heritage is also celebrated with exhibitions, plus walks, talks and demos hosted by lifelong fishermen and local historians.

Gather at Kipper's Corner for the outdoor picture show on Saturday night – it’s become a festival favourite, with old photos and film projected onto the wall to live piano accompaniment – it’s a real Cinema Paradiso.

Take a look at Staithes Stories, one of the films shown at the 2017 Festival, which captures storms, the sea, strange traditions and tragedies in stories told by the people who live in the stunning village.

North York Moors

Staithes Festival of Arts & Heritage

Festival dates for 2018 are 8 - 9 September

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