Scarborough's Big Ideas By The Sea Festival eminent arts line up

Talks by the three festival headliners will take place on Saturday (May 25) at St. Mary’s Church.

Commencing at 11am, former Rector of The Royal College of Art and erstwhile Chairman of Arts Council England, Sir Christopher Frayling, a leading authority on Spaghetti Westerns will present a talk on another cinematic-based theme, that of the design work of Ken Adam who created sets for James Bond films and director Stanley Kubrick.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, Richard Seymour one of the world’s leading industrial design consultants, will now not be appearing although organisers hope he will feature in next year’s festival.

David Sillito, the BBC Arts Correspondent, will be taking Dr. Seymour’s place with a lecture at 1pm.

Exhibition designer John Sunderland’s presentation at 3pm will recount how he designed the original Jorvik Viking Centre in York.

His revolutionary immersive, experiential approach fundamentally changed museum exhibition design and heritage interpretation.

Jorvik, with over 20 million visitors, celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.

Mr. Sunderland will also be joined in conversation by former Chief Executive of York Archaeological Trust Dr. Peter Addyman and festival organiser John Oxley MBE, former City Archaeologist for York.

This weekend also sees the second Big Day Out At The Castle community event on Sunday.

Free to residents in the YO11, YO12 and YO13 postcode areas, the day offers a range of activities for all ages including the appearance of the Roman VI Legion reenactment group.

Last year saw a record day attendance for the English Heritage site with over 2,100 visitors.

This Sunday evening also features the second improvised music performance with Anthony Springhall titled Resonation Two at St. Mary’s Church.

The festival features numerous other events and activities – the premiere theatrical performance of Cayley’s Flight on the evenings of Friday May 24 and Saturday May 25, Dean Owen & The Sinners at The Old Parcels Office

on May 24, wildlife talks include Stuart Baines with his Cetaceans presentation and guided walk on Monday May 27 and RSPB Bempton Cliffs manager Dave O’Hara lecture on the famous seabird colony south of Scarborough on Tuesday May 28.

Next week also sees another talk by the renowned Egyptologist and broadcaster Professor Joann Fletcher on Monday May 27.

Three Brontë-themed events occur on Tuesday May 28 at St. Mary’s with ‘All About Anne’ poetry and theatre performance, a memorial service for Anne Brontë and a musical presentation by Eddie Lawler and Elaine Minns.

Live music includes folk duo The Blow-Ins on Wednesday May 29 with The Big Sing Community Choirs’ Night concluding the festival on Friday May 31.

The Big Dig archaeological excavation at Paradise continues throughout the festival as do guided tours of Dean Road cemetery, Pre-Raphaelite talks by Mike Bortoft and exhibitions by Paul Anthony Wilson and Angela

and David Chalmers at St. Martin’s Church.

Big Ideas By The Sea runs at various venues across the town until May 31.

Further information can be found on the festival website at bigideasbythesea.com.