Programme revealed for Scarborough's newest festival - Big Ideas By the Sea

Following a triumphant debut festival in 2021, which saw 1,070 people attend, festival Directors, Kane Cunningham and John Oxley have announced an exciting festival programme for

the event this year.

Events, concerts, workshops and activities will take place across multiple venues in Scarborough, all based around the festival theme of ‘Transition’.

Festival highlights include:

Flautist, Rob MacKay, will be performing his composition, Networking the Flight of the Monarchs, live at the Old Parcels Office Artspace, alongside fellow musicians streamed live from

across the world. Award winning folk musician, Eliza Carthy will perform work from her new album in the iconic Scarborough Market Hall.

Popular poet, Ian McMillan, known as the Yorkshire Bard, will read from his new book, My Sand Life, My Pebble Life.

A performance by the charity 6 Million Plus, including giant puppets representing 5 female refugee experiences from across the world.

Festival co-director and artist, Kane Cunningham said, ‘We have a full and exciting programme exploring the contemporary issues and themes that people care about. This

year we are working with Our Stories on our Agents of Change! event, which focuses on environmental activism and includes free workshops, stalls and storytelling. We also have incredible speakers, such as campaigner Phoebe L Hanson, a key speaker at last year’s COP 26 and Judy Ling Wong, founder of the Black Environment Network.’

Further to the events programme, the festival includes the Big Dig 2, an archaeological dig that residents can take part in.

Highlights found in Scarborough gardens during the Big Dig 2021 included a Neolithic flint arrowhead and a fragment of a Scarborough Ware face jug, which was determined to be

approximately 800 years old. Visitors will once more have the opportunity to see and handle objects found this year and will be able to learn about their fascinating history and purpose from experts.

Budding archaeologists will be taken to the Jurassic era and back again in the Ancient World by the Sea workshop, led by Joann Fletcher and Marie Woods and hosted at Woodend.

Booking is essential.

Co-director and archaeologist, John Oxley said, ‘The Big Dig 2 will be our biggest and most ambitious community project yet!

"Working in partnership with the Scarborough Archaeological and Historical Society and other community groups, we will explore the rich archaeology of Scarborough’s Old Town. Time

Team’s Professor Carenza Lewis will be joining us to review the finds, and there will be an exhibition and children’s activities in Scarborough Market Hall. Fun for all the family!’

Big Ideas By The Sea 2022 is funded by the Yorkshire Coast BID, the National Lottery Community Fund, Anglo-American, and supported by Scarborough Borough Council.

Our Stories: Whitby, Scarborough and Filey is supported by the North Yorkshire Coast Opportunity Area and campaigns improve social mobility and education standards in the area by inspiring children to read.

Tickets can be purchased from www.ticketsource.co.uk/bibts