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New talks at this September’s Staithes Festival of Art and Heritage will explore the North York Moors village’s deep connections with folklore and traditions, its historic influence in the art world, and the impact the surrounding geology has had on people’s lives.
The Festival, which is supported by the North York Moors National Park, who take care 554 sq miles of diverse landscapes - including 26 miles of Yorkshire coastline - takes place on 13-14 September with a preview night on the Friday (12 September). Over the weekend, more than 110 artists in 64 pop-up galleries will inhabit the villages gorgeous cottages, public buildings and open spaces, providing masses of inspiration - and ideal purchasing opportunities for art-loving festival-goers.
Alongside the art exhibits and artists’ workshops, the organisers are also lining up a packed programme of talks, which will be held for the first time in the village hall in the upper part of Staithes, with a free shuttle taxi available to take people up from the lower end.
This year, Professor Sarah Peverley the academic, medievalist, cultural historian and broadcaster from the University of Liverpool, is set to share her research into the origins of the Staithes mermaid legend, which reports two mermaids being washed ashore on the East coast during a storm. Villagers apparently imprisoned the pair initially, before over-time, they eventually became less of an oddity. Legend has it they were eventually able to charm a fisherman into releasing them - and haven't been seen since - although they will be very present next month.
Prof Peverley will explain how the legend provides a snapshot of the way villagers were shaped by their environment; and the efforts they took to protect against natural forces such as the sea’s power. In her talk Sarah will also explain why the mermaid legend endures, particularly as it presents a human face to the non-human forces governing the sea and weather.
Author and museum curator Adam Chadwick will also be shining a light on the importance of the village’s prominent art colony which existed for 15 years from 1894.
His talk will act as a preview of his book Staithes: Life, Light and Landscape, which is being published in January 2026 and will be the first to present the colony in its context of painting on the coast, its international influences and the inter-relationships with the artists, including Dame Laura Knight becoming the first female Royal Academician.
Meanwhile well-known BBC TV geologistand adventurer Prof Chris Jackson, as part of the new charity Earth Science Outreach UK - which aims to 'make earth science accessible to everyone' - will be using the geology at Staithes as an example as he invites the audience to imagine how rocks and geologists have shaped people’s lives and livelihoods across the centuries.
His talk links with Earth Science’s guided walks from the village where people can discover why North Yorkshire is actually part of the Alps or find evidence of ancient sea creatures in the early Jurassic rocks.
As well as the array of galleries displaying artists’ work – from jewellery and sculpture through to textiles, watercolours, photography and ceramics – visitors will notice how virtually every part of the village is dedicated to telling an aspect of Staithes’ rich history.
One of many highlights across the weekend will be the screening of a version of the famous outdoor Cinema Paradiso on the High Street, where people can sit in a deck chair and watch films about the village’s past and present.
To add to the Festival atmosphere, local musicians, including Nick Rooke, Paul Blackburn, the Saltburn Ukulele Band and Men of Staithes Fisherman's Choir, will all be performing; while from dusk to midnight people can enjoy seeing the surrounding cliffs illuminated, walk under the arc of light on the bridge over Roxby Beck or see the village’s name in giant lights under the staith.
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Jackie Ambrosini, one of the organisers of the Festival explains: “As a coastal village that would once have been a remote place to live, Staithes has an incredible wealth of stories – from historical accounts through to enduring legends. The present day is just as fascinating whether it’s the search for Dark Matter at Boulby Underground Mine, unearthing neolithic archaeology or discovering the biodiversity in the coastal wildlife. By lining up a programme of talented storytellers, historians and experts in their field, we’re able to tell the Staithes Story past and present.
“The programme of talks perfectly complements the pop-up galleries, as art and culture are deeply rooted in the village.”
For the latest news and and programme information on the Staithes Festival of Arts and Heritage please CLICK HERE
Header image: The Light Bridge at Staithes Festival (Duncan Lomax)
