Big Ideas By The Sea: New festival where 'who knows, we may discover Scarborough's Greta Thunberg'

Big Ideas By The Sea will be launched at an event headlined by filmmaker David Malone, who worked on BBC’s Horizon, at the Spa on Friday February 21, from 5.30pm to 8pm.

He will lead a thought-provoking conversation accompanied by a panel of guests.

There will also be live music from Scarborough Sixth Form students.

Big Ideas By The Sea is the brainchild of artist and retired teacher Kane Cunningham and former York City Archaeologist John Oxley.

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“We want to engage with whatever the big ideas are locally and globally,” said Mr Cunningham.

“For thousands of years Scarborough has been an exit and entry point for ideas. Let’s celebrate the maritime, cultural and political history and ideas that have made Scarborough what it is today,” he said.

Festival events will be held at Woodend in The Crescent, the Stephen Joseph Theatre and Scarborough Library. It will run from Friday May 15 to Sunday May 17.

Among the speakers will be Scarborough-based Eygptologist Professor Joann Fletcher and Time Team’s Professor Carenza Lewis.

Scarborough Archaeological and Historical Society will be hosting a series of digs in the Old Town.

Pupils at Hinderwell School are taking part in a project called Postcards to the Future with their work going on display at the library.

“It will be interesting to see what eight-year-olds are thinking and what kind of world they would like,” said Mr Cunningham.

He has brought on board Create – the arts organisation behind Coastival – and Paul Bradley, of Shifting Sands film project. The festival is being funded by £10,000 from the lottery and sponsorship is being sought.

“The idea is to explore big ideas, whatever they may be, to develop a programme that is exciting for the local community which addresses issues to do with the local community, although those issues may be global,” said Mr Cunningham.

He hopes the festival will appeal to all ages and said: “Who knows, we may discover Scarborough’s Greta Thunberg and that would be great.”

“We want to look beyond the horizon and ask what are the things coming at us which will change the world?” said Mr Cunningham.