Category: Breaking News

Posted on

What’s On in Ryedale, York and beyond. Hutch’s List No.34, from Gazette & Herald

Lucy Hook Designs’ poster for York River Art Market’s tenth anniversary

AUGUST’S arrival heralds the return of riverside art, Georgian festival frolics and moorland classical music in Charles Hutchinson’s guide to a cornucopia of culture.

Art event of the month: York River Art Market, Dame Judi Dench Walk, by Lendal Bridge, York, August 9 and 10, August 16 and 17, 10am to 5.30pm

YORK River Art Market returns for its tenth anniversary season by the Ouse riverside railings, where 30 artists and designers will be setting up stalls each day.

Organised by York artist and tutor Charlotte Dawson, the market offers the chance to buy directly from the makers of ceramics, jewellery, paintings, prints, photographs, clothing, candles, soaps, cards and more besides. Admission is free.

Scott Bennett: Presenting Blood Sugar Baby at Pocklington Arts Centre

Storyteller of the week: Scott Bennett, Blood Sugar Baby, Pocklington Arts Centre, tonight, 8pm

ONE family, one condition, one hell of a hairy baby: Scott Bennett, from The News Quiz and the Parenting Hell podcast, relates how his daughter fell ill with a rare genetic condition, congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI).

Never heard of it?  Neither have new parents Scott and Jemma as they fight to achieve  the right diagnosis for their daughter and are plunged into months of bewildering treatment, sleepless nights, celebrity encounters and bizarre side effects, but a happy ending ensues. Box office: Pocklington, 01759 301547 or pocklingtonartscentre.co.uk.

Ryosuke Kiyasu: Drumming prowess on The Arts Barge

Beat that: No Instrument and Arts Barge present Ryosuke Kiyasu, The Arts Barge, Foss Basin Moorings, York, tonight, 7.30pm

PIONEERING snare-drum soloist Ryosuke Kiyasu has redefined percussion since 2003, releasing more than 200 albums, both solo and with his band, drawing 23 million views for his 2018 Berlin live set and featuring on BBC News.

He drums for noise-grind duo Sete Star Sept, the Kiyasu Orchestra and Keiji Haino’s Fushitsusha and co-founded Canada’s cult hardcore unit The Endless Blockade. Box office: artsbarge.com/events.

Iago Banet: Finger-style Spanish guitar playing at The Basement

Guitarist of the week: Iago Banet, The Basement, City Screen Picturehouse, York, tonight, 7.30pm

VIRTUOSO finger-style Spanish guitarist Iago Banet, who moved to London from Galicia in 2014, combines gypsy jazz, blues, country, Dixieland, swing, pop, folk and Americana in his acoustic repertoire, as heard on his third album, 2023’s Tres.

He has performed on BBC Radio 3’s In Tune and Cerys Matthews’ The Blues Show on BBC Radio 2, appeared at Brecon Jazz, Hellys International Guitar Festival and Aberjazz and played with Josh Smith, Mark Flanagan, Jack Broadbent and Clive Carroll. Box office: ticketsource.co.uk.

Four actors, two plays, forty minutes each: 440 Theatre in Much Ado About Nothing and Macbeth at Joseph Rowntree Theatre

Shaking up Shakespeare: 440 Theatre in Much Ado About Nothing and Macbeth, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, tomorrow, 7.30pm

FOUR actors perform 40-minute versions of Much Ado About Nothing and Macbeth, transforming the Scottish play  from tragedy into comedy in this raucous, breakneck double bill. “Experience the hilarity of not only one of the Bard’s best comedies but also a side-splitting (literally!) Macbeth,” say director Dom Gee-Burch and producer-composer Laura Sillett. Box office: 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.

Terry Deary presents Revolting at York Mansion House tomorrow at 5.30pm at York Georgian Festival

York festival of the week: York Georgian Festival 2025, August 7 to 11

ORGANISED by York Mansion House, in tandem with York businesses, the York Georgian Festival will be a whirl of  dashing dandy fashions, extravagant feasting and romantic country dancing in a celebration of a golden social scene hidden within the brickwork of York’s abundant 18th century architecture.

Among the highlights will be Terry Deary Presents Revolting; the Life and Loves of Anne Lister; a Georgian dance lesson at the Guildhall; Men’s Hats; Mad Alice’s history talk and gin tasting; the York Georgian Ball; Sounds of Regency by Candlelight; The World of Georgian Fashion; Portraits in Jane Austen and a revival of York actor-playwright Joseph Peterson’s comic romp The Raree Show or The Fox Trap’t. For the full programme and tickets, go to: mansionhouseyork.com/york-georgian-festival.

Alex Phelps, left, Christopher Godwin, Olivia Woolhouse, Valerie Antwi, Susan Twist, Charlie Ryan and Andy Cryer in rehearsal for Michael Frayn’s Noises Off at the SJT, Scarborough. Picture: Tony Bartholomew

Play of the week: Noises Off, Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, August 9 to September 6, 7.30pm plus 1.30pm Thursday and 2.30pm  Saturday matinees

SJT artistic director Paul Robinson directs the first ever in-the-round production of Michael Frayn’s legendary 1982 farce with its play-within-a- play structure. “Good luck!” said the playwright on hearing the Scarborough theatre was taking on what has always been considered an impossible task. 

Noises Off follows the on and off-stage antics of a touring theatre company stumbling its way through the fictional farce Nothing On. Across three acts, Frayn charts the shambolic final rehearsals, a disastrous matinee seen entirely from backstage and the brilliantly catastrophic final performance. Box office: 01723 370541 or sjt.uk.com.

Jamie Walton: North York Moors Chamber Music Festival director and cellist. Picture: Matthew Johnson

Ryedale festival of the week: North York Moors Chamber Music Festival, August 10 to 23

IN its 17th year, cellist Jamie Walton’s festival presents 14 concerts designed to mirror the 14-line structure of a sonnet, guiding audiences through a pagan year with its unfolding seasons, solstices and equinoxes. 

The four elements – Fire, Air, Water and Earth – will be explored through the lens of TS Eliot’s Four Quartets and staged in four historic moorland churches: St Hilda’s, Danby; St Hedda’s, Egton Bridge; St Michael’s, Coxwold, and St Mary’s, Lastingham. Ten concerts will be held in an acoustically treated venue in the grounds of Welburn Manor, near Kirkbymoorside. For the full programme, go to northyorkmoorsfestival.com. Box office: 07722 038990 or email bookings@northyorkmoorsfestival.com.

The Smashing Pumpkins: Heading to Scarborough on Aghori Tour next Wednesday

Coastal gig of the week: Smashing Pumpkins and White Lies, TK Maxx Presents Scarborough Open Air Theatre, August 13, gates 6pm

AMERICAN alternative rockers The Smashing Pumpkins play Scarborough on their Aghori Tour. Billy Corgan, James Iha and Jimmy Chamberlin’s multi-platinum-selling band will be supported on the Yorkshire coast by London post-punk revival band White Lies.

Since emerging from Chicago, Illinois, in 1988 with their iconoclastic sound, Smashing Pumpkins have sold more than 30 million albums worldwide and collected two Grammy Awards, seven MTV VMAs and an American Music Award. Box office: ticketmaster.co.uk.

Posted on

Pick Me Up Theatre to stage York premiere of five-time Tony award winner Fun Home at York Medical Society in September

Libby Greenhill’s Medium Alison, Hattie Wells’s Young Alison and Claire Morley’s Aliso in Pick Me Up Theatre’s Fun Home. Picture: Matthew Kitchen

YORK company Pick Me Up Theatre will stage Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron’s award-garlanded musical Fun Home at the York Medical Society, Stonegate, York, from September 10 to 19.

Please note, the seating capacity is only 40, so prompt booking is advised at ticketsource.co.uk/pickmeuptheatrecom for this electrifying version of Alison Bechdel’s graphic novel.

The winner of five Tony Awards on Broadway, Fun Home opened at the Young Vic, London, in 2018 to sell-out audiences. Now comes its York premiere, directed and designed by Robert Readman.

Dale Vaughan’s Bruce, Alison’s father in Pick Me Up Theatre’s Fun Home. Picture: Matthew Kitchen

Meet Alison at three stages of her life as memories of her 1970s’ childhood in a funeral home merge with her college love life and her coming out.

When her father dies unexpectedly, graphic novelist Alison dives deep into her past to tell the story of the volatile, brilliant, one-of-a-kind man whose temperament and secrets defined her family and her life. Moving between past and present, Alison relives her unique childhood at the family’s Bechdel Funeral Home, her growing understanding of her own sexuality and the looming, unanswerable questions about her father’s hidden desires.

Director Robert Readman was thrilled when the rights to Fun Home became available.  “I jumped at the chance to produce this amazing musical – it is such a moving and unusual story and I love the score and the book,” he says.

“Fun Home is a refreshingly honest, wholly original musical about seeing your parents through grown-up eyes as Alison looks back on her complex relationship with her father and finds they had more in common than she ever knew.

Pick Me Up Theatre’s poster for next month’s production of Fun Home at York Medical Society

“It’s a remarkable show that won Tony awards for best musical, score, book, leading actor and direction, and we’re very lucky to have such a magnificent, tight cast to bring to life Alison Bechdel’s best-selling book, based on her own life. And I feel the atmospheric, very intimate venue of the York Medical Society will work so well for our production.”

Readman’s cast will be led by Claire Morley as Alison, Libby Greenhill as Medium Alison and Hattie Wells as Young Alison, joined by Catherine Foster as Helen,  Dale Vaughan as Bruce, Alison’s father, Teddy Alexander as John, Oliver Smith as Christian, Britney Brett as Joan and the multi-role-playing Cain Branton as JRoy/Pete/Mark/Bobby. Natalie Walker is the musical director.

Pick Me Up Theatre in Fun Home, York Medical Society, Stonegate, York, September 10 to 19, 7.30pm plus 2.30pm Saturday and Sunday matinees Content guidance: Themes of LGBTQ+, suicide and strong language. Parental guidance: 12 plus. Box office: ticketsource.co.uk/pickmeuptheatre.com.

Posted on

The Magpies Festival at Sutton Park on August 8 and 9 has sold out. Who’s playing?

The Magpies: Hosting their annual folk festival at Sutton Park on Friday and Saturday

THE Magpies Festival at Sutton Park, Sutton-on-the-Forest, York, on August 8 and 9 has sold out.

Run by Bella Gaffney, fellow founding member Holly Brandon and Ellie Gowers of transatlantic folk band The Magpies, the festival combines live music on two stages with workshops and activities.

Taking part on Friday on the main stage will be Simeon Hammond Dallas, 6pm, Gnoss, 8pm, and Baskery, 10pm, while the Brass Castle Stage will play host to Roswell Road, 5pm, The 309s, 7pm, Theo Mizu & Banda, 9pm, and Ford Dimensional, 11pm.

Saturday’s main stage acts will be Dan Webster Band, 12 noon, Mishra, 2pm, Julian Taylor, 4pm, The Magpies, 6pm, Rob Heron and The Tea Pad Orchestra, 8pm, and Elephant Sessions, 10pm. In action on the Brass Castle Stage will be The Shackleton Trio, 1pm, Edwina Hayes, 3pm, Janice Burns & Jon Doran, 5pm, Jaywalkers, 7pm, and The Deep Blue, 9pm.

Baskery: Headlining the Magpies Festival main stage on Friday

The workshops and activities include Yoga with Elaine Welsh, Brass Castle Tent,  Saturday and Sunday, 9am to 9.50am, Children’s Songs, Rhythms and Ceilidh with Mishra, Brass Castle Tent, Saturday, 10am to 10.50am, and Sea Shanties with guitar and banjo player Bella Gaffney, Brass Castle Tent, Saturday, 11am to 11.50am.

They continue with Bushcraft and Survival Skills with Forest School For All, outside The Nest, Saturday, 1pm to 2pm, Be Your Own Best Friend with GFS England & Wales, The Nest, Saturday, 3pm to 4pm, and Ceilidh with Archie Churchill-Moss, Brass Castle Tent, Saturday, 1pm to 11.55pm.

Food and drink and market stalls will be on site too. For full festival details, go to themagpiesfestival.co.uk.

Posted on

National tour of James Graham’s Dear England to play Leeds Grand Theatre, Sheffield Lyceum and Bradford Alhambra

The cast on the first day of rehearsals for the 2025-2026 tour of James Graham’s Dear England, visiting Leeds, Sheffield and Bradford. Picture: Justine Matthew

THE National Theatre’s 2025-2026 tour of James Graham’s Dear England – “the Gareth Southgate play” – will visit Leeds Grand Theatre from November 4 to 8.

Further Yorkshire runs are booked into Sheffield Lyceum Theatre from October 21 to 25 and Alhambra Theatre, Bradford, for February 17 to 21 2026.

Heading the cast will be David Sturzaker as England manager – and knighted Harrogate resident – Gareth Southgate, alongside EastEnders and Mount Pleasant actress Samantha Womack in the role of team psychologist Pippa Grange.

Directed by Almeida Theatre artistic director Rupert Goold, the cast also features returnees Jass Beki as Bukayo Saka; Courtney George as Alex Scott; Tom Lane as Eric Dier and Miles Henderson in Ensemble roles.

David Sturzaker: Playing Gareth Southgate in Dear England, on tour in 2025-2026. Picture: Michael Shelford

Joining them will be company newcomers Jake Ashton-Nelson as Jordan Henderson; Luke Azille as Jadon Sancho; Ian Bartholomew as Greg Dyke; Ashley Byam as Raheem Sterling; Steven Dykes as Sam Allardyce; Oscar Gough as Harry Kane; Jayden Hanley as Marcus Rashford; Connor Hawker as Harry Maguire; Ian Kirkby as Gary Lineker; Jack Maddison as Jordan Pickford; Liam Prince-Donnelly as Dele Alli and George Rainsford as Mike Webster. In the squad too are Stuart Ash, Natalie Boakye, Sam Craig and Jonathan Markwood.

Premiered in June 2023, Graham’s inspiring, at times heartbreaking and ultimately uplifting story of Gareth Southgate’s revolutionary tenure as England football manager won the 2024 Olivier Award for Best New Play, en route to breaking box-office records in its West End run.

Dear England charts Southgate’s impact when taking over from Sam Allardyce in 2016. As the play’s synopsis puts it: “It’s time to change the game. The country that gave the world football has since delivered a painful pattern of loss. The England men’s team has the worst track record for penalties in the world, and manager Gareth Southgate knows he needs to open his mind and face up to the years of hurt to take team and country back to the promised land”.

The tour will visit 16 venues from September 15 2025 to March 14 2026 in a co-production with Josh Andrews and Stuart Galbraith for JAS Theatricals. Goold is joined in the production team by set designer Es Devlin, whose credits include Beyonce’s Renaissance world tour and The Lehman Trilogy at the National Theatre, along with costume designer Evie Gurney; lighting designer Jon Clark; co-movement directors Ellen Kane and Hannes Langolf; video designer  Ash J Woodward, and co-sound designers Dan Balfour and Tom Gibbons.

Samantha Womack: Playing team psychologist Pippa Grange in Dear England. Picture: Michelle George

They are joined by tour revival director Connie Treves; revival movement director Tom Herron; casting director Bryony Jarvis-Taylor; associate set designer Alice Hallifax; associate lighting designer Ben Jacobs; associate video designer Libby Ward; associate sound designer Johnny Edwards; casting associate Lilly Mackie and resident director Dan Hutton.

The National Theatre will run a year-long schools engagement programme inspired by Gareth Southgate’s “Dear England” open letter that he wrote to England fans in 2021.

This programme, designed to prompt young people to reflect on their own place in history, just as the footballers in Southgate’s squad were encouraged to do, comes in response to 2025 being the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.

It will be delivered to 10,000 pupils in schools across England at assemblies and workshops, using spoken word and sound design to support students to share the hopes and aspirations they have for themselves, and other young people, 80 years from now.

The cast of Dear England at the National Theatre this spring. Picture: Marc Brenner

The resulting sound archive will form a 2025–2026 time capsule. In addition, students will be invited to attend performances of Dear England during the tour.

Dear England was commissioned by the National Theatre and developed with the theatre’s New Work department for its world premiere on June 20 2023 in the Olivier theatre.  A sold-out run was followed by a transfer to the Prince Edward Theatre, London, from October 9 2023 to January 13 2024, where box-office records were broken.

Dear England was released to cinemas through National Theatre Live on January 24 2024 and has been screened almost 2,500 times across the UK.

In February 2024, the BBC announced its commission of a four-part drama of Dear England, based on the stage production, for BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

Tane Siah’s Bukayo Saka and Gwilym Lee’s Gareth Southgate in Dear England at the National Theatre this spring. Picture: Marc Brennen

Graham’s play returned to the National Theatre in Spring 2025, updated to reflect the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament, Southgate’s final chapter as England manager that ended, spoiler alert, with defeat to Spain in the final. The regional premiere was staged in a four-week run at The Lowry, Salford, that opened on May 29.

The 2025/2026 national tour is supported by Incentivising Touring: Repayable Grants for Theatre and Dance, a pilot scheme developed by Arts Council England to support larger-scale productions to tour to regional venues.

Dear England was among the first to receive a share of more than £2million as part of the first round of the scheme, designed to create the opportunity for more people to see high-quality shows close to where they live.

Tickets for Leeds are on sale on 0113 243 0808 or at leedsheritagetheatres.com; Sheffield, sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/lyceum; Bradford, bradford-theatres.co.uk/alhambra-theatre.  

Did you know?

JAMES Graham’s last play to visit Leeds Grand Theatre was his stage adaptation of Alan Bleasdale’s Boys From The Black Stuff from May 13 to 17 2025.

Posted on

York Philharmonic Male Voice Choir reunites with York RI Golden Rail Band for Sounding Brass and Voices concert

York RI Golden Rail Band. Picture: Keith Meadley

TWO well-loved York ensembles will reunite for Sounding Brass and Voices at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, on September 6 to celebrate 100 years of music.

York Philharmonic Male Voice Choir and York RI Golden Rail Band will perform a joint concert for the fourth time in a pairing of brass and voices that is both tender and thrilling.

The first pairing in 2020 came three weeks before the first Covid-19 lockdown in the UK, followed by concerts in 2023 and 2024 to enthusiastic York audiences.

York Philharmonic Male Voice Choir – or “The Phil” as it is known affectionately – was founded in 1925 and is marking its centenary year with a season of high-profile concerts with partner choirs from Europe and closer to home, as well as with the Golden Rail Band.

From humble beginnings, The Phil has become one of the country’s best choirs, achieving television fame in the 1970s, performing internationally and still winning awards in 2025. The latest was won in April at the National Choir Day at Eskdale Festival of the Arts in Whitby.

Berenice Lewis, the choir’s musical director for 25 years, says: “It’s a tremendous privilege and pleasure to be collaborating again with the York RI Golden Rail Band, one of our region’s leading concert brass bands.

“Our two groups are exceptionally compatible, and we love working together – and it’s particularly special in this centenary year for the choir. We’re excited to share an evening of music in the gorgeous setting of the Joseph Rowntree Theatre. Don’t miss it!”

York Philharmonic Male Voice Choir: 100th anniversary

Golden Rail Band, based next to York Station, celebrated its own milestone last year, marking 40 years of music-making, although the band’s parentage stretches back to 1883.

For its ruby anniversary, the band recorded a special radio programme and performed concerts at the National Centre for Early Music, Selby Abbey and York Barbican.

This year will see the band making its television debut in November, details of which are being kept closely under wraps.

Band conductor Nick Eastwood said: “We’re thrilled to be performing with The Phil again, even more so as they celebrate their 100th anniversary. To mark such a huge occasion, we’ve taken the opportunity to reflect on 100 years within our brass band world, which offers a rich and inspiring musical heritage to draw on.

“From romantic film music to toe-tapping hits, there will be something for everyone. And prepare yourselves for the finale, when the choir and the band will take the stage together for a couple of glorious and rousing numbers that will gladden your heart and send you home singing.”

A fifth collaboration between the Golden Rail Band and The Phil will ensue at the York Barbican on September 21 when the band will be among the ‘Friends’ at the choir’s Music of The Phil and Friends concert. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.

York Philharmonic Male Voice Choir and York RI Golden Rail in Sounding Brass and Voices, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, September 6, 7.30pm. Box office: 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk/whats-on/concert/sounding-brass-and-voices/2810.

York Philharmonic Male Voice Choir and York RI Golden Rail Band in concert together. Picture: Keith Meadley

Posted on

More Things To Do in York and beyond as the dandy Georgians take up residence. Hutch’s List No. 34 from The York Press

Lucy Hook Designs’ poster for York River Art Market’s tenth anniversary on Dame Judi Dench Walk

AUGUST’S arrival heralds the return of riverside art and Georgian festival frolics in Charles Hutchinson’s guide to a cornucopia of culture.

Art event of the month: York River Art Market, Dame Judi Dench Walk, by Lendal Bridge, York, today and tomorrow, August 9 and 10, August 16 and 17, 10am to 5.30pm

YORK River Art Market returns for its tenth anniversary season by the Ouse riverside railings, where 30 artists and designers will be setting up stalls on each of the six days.

Organised by York artist and tutor Charlotte Dawson, the market offers the chance to buy directly from the makers of ceramics, jewellery, paintings, prints, photographs, clothing, candles, soaps, cards and more besides. Admission is free.

York Stage summer school participants in rehearsal for Disney’s Dare To Dream Jr

Musical revue of the week: York Stage in Disney’s Dare To Dream Jr, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, today, 2pm and 4pm

HONOURING 100 years of Disney music, this60-minute revue follows eager trainees on their first day at a fictional Walt Disney Imagineering Studio. As they set out to help each other discover their dreams, they work together to explore the power of those aspirations to unite, inspire and make anything possible.

The show includes songs that appear for the first time in a Disney stage musical, notably fan favourites from The Princess And The Frog, Coco, Enchanto and Frozen II in a showcase of contemporary songs, timeless classics and new medleys. York Stage director Nik Briggs has put this production together in a week with 50 Summer School performers and technical skills trainees. Box office: 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.

James Dowdeswell: Headlining tonight’s Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club bill at The Basement, City Screen Picturehouse

Comedy gig of the week: Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club, The Basement, City Screen Picturehouse, York, tonight, 8pm

JAMES Dowdeswell, from the BBC’s Russell Howard’s Good News and Ricky Gervais’s Extras, combines deft stand-up with daft stories in his erudite, off-the-cuff headline set this weekend. A comedic authority on beer, wine and pubs, he is the author of The Pub Manifesto: A Comedian Stands Up For Pubs. 

On the bill too are northern humorist Anth Young, Scotland-based Singaporean comic Laura Quinn Goh and regular host Damion Larkin. Box office: lolcomedyclubs.co.uk.

Faithless: Bringing Mass Destruction to Scarborough Open Air Theatre tonight

Coastal gig of the week: Faithless and Orbital, TK Maxx Presents Scarborough Open Air Theatre, today. Gates open at 6pm

RETURNING to the concert platform last year after an eight-year hiatus, Faithless remain one of the most influential, boundary-pushing electronic acts of the 21st century with 17 Top 40 singles and six Top Ten albums to their name. Here come Salva Mea, One Step Too Far, Mass Destruction, Insomnia, God Is A DJ et al.

First up will be Phil and Paul Hartnoll’s electronic duo Orbital, whose music draws on ambient, electro, punk and film scores, spread across ten albums. Box office: scarboroughopenairtheatre.com.

Sasha Elizabeth Parker in Femme Fatale Faerytales, Once Upon A Time, at Brancusi restaurant

Fringe preview of the week: Femme Fatale Faerytales, Once Upon A Time, Fairy Tales For Adults, Brancusi (upstairs), Micklegate, York, August 4, 8pm

FEMME Fatale Faerytales’ Once Upon A Time will be 50 minutes of adult storytelling with a feminist agenda, featuring a “real-life faery” who promises to tell truths that will “make your hair curl and your eyes sparkle”.

“It was the faeries who taught the witches, the wise women, all that they know,” says performer Sasha Elizabeth Parker, who is en route to Scotland for her Edinburgh Fringe debut. “Women spun faerytales on their tongue to spread the word among adult ears. Wise words made infantile by men. Let the faery  whisper her words into your ears. Hear her tale of truth. Faeries cannot lie. This, I promise you. She’ll change you, transport you, introduce you to a whole new world and show you a view brand new.” Box office for returns: wegottickets.com/location/29645.

The poster artwork for Cirque, The Greatest Show Reimagined

Circus show of the week: Cirque, The Greatest Show Reimagined, York Barbican, August 4, 3pm and 7pm

CIRQUE’S new show is “bolder, braver and more breathtaking than ever before” as The Greatest Show Reimagined takes the original Circus meets Musical Theatre spectacle to new heights. Experience West End showstoppers paired with circus acts showcasing breathtaking feats of agility to “transport you on a vibrant, kaleidoscopic journey bursting with colour, energy, and excitement”. Britain’s Got Talent Golden Buzzer winner Max Fox leads the cast of vocalists and circus performers. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.

Ryosuke Kiyasu: Drum pyrotechnics on the Arts Barge

Beat that: No Instrument and Arts Barge present Ryosuke Kiyasu, The Arts Barge, Foss Basin Moorings, York, August 6, 7.30pm

PIONEERING snare-drum soloist Ryosuke Kiyasu has redefined percussion since 2003, releasing more than 200 albums, both solo and with his band, drawing 23 million views for his 2018 Berlin live set and featuring on BBC News.

He drums for noise-grind duo Sete Star Sept, the Kiyasu Orchestra and Keiji Haino’s Fushitsusha and co-founded Canada’s cult hardcore unit The Endless Blockade. Box office: artsbarge.com/events.

Iago Banet: Finger-style Spanish guitar dexterity at The Basement, City Screen Picturehouse

Guitarist of the week: Iago Banet, The Basement, City Screen Picturehouse, York, August 6, 7.30pm

VIRTUOSO finger-style Spanish guitarist Iago Banet, who moved to London from Galicia in 2014, combines gypsy jazz, blues, country, Dixieland, swing, pop, folk and Americana in his acoustic repertoire, as heard on his third album, 2023’s Tres.

He has performed on BBC Radio 3’s In Tune and Cerys Matthews’ The Blues Show on BBC Radio 2, appeared at Brecon Jazz, Hellys International Guitar Festival and Aberjazz and played with Josh Smith, Mark Flanagan, Jack Broadbent and Clive Carroll. Box office: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/iago-banet/iago-banet-the-galician-king-of-acoustic-guitar/e-dykrpy. 

Joe Standerline in The Raree Show or The Fox Trap’t, Joseph Peterson’s 18th century romp, revived for the York Georgian Festival. Picture: Gareth Buddo

Festival of the week: York Georgian Festival 2025, August 7 to 11

ORGANISED by York Mansion House, in tandem with York businesses, the York Georgian Festival will be a whirl of  dashing dandy fashions, extravagant feasting and romantic country dancing in a celebration of a golden social scene hidden within the brickwork of York’s abundant 18th century architecture.

Among the highlights will be Terry Deary Presents Revolting; the Life and Loves of Anne Lister; a Georgian dance lesson at the Guildhall; Men’s Hats through the Georgian period; Mad Alice’s history talk and gin tasting; the York Georgian Ball; Sounds of Regency by Candlelight; The World of Georgian Fashion; Portraits in Jane Austen; The Radical Georgian Women and a revival of 18th century York actor-playwright Joseph Peterson’s comic romp The Raree Show or The Fox Trap’t. For the full programme and tickets, go to: mansionhouseyork.com/york-georgian-festival.

York Minster: Heritage Fair today

In Focus: Heritage Fair of the week: York Minster Centre of Excellence for Heritage Craft Skills and Estate Management, Deangate, York, today, from 10am

EXPLORE two new buildings – the Heritage Quad and the Works & Technology Hub – that have established York Minster Precinct’s status as a world-class campus facility for research, education and training in traditional craft skills.

Visitors can see the extensive sustainable initiatives delivered through the construction of these two new buildings, including the latest photovoltaic technology and rainwater harvesting techniques.

There will be three areas to explore:

The Heritage Quad: 10am to 4pm

Visitors can speak to York Minster stonemasons and see live carving, whilst touring brand new facilities and meeting other heritage craftspeople such as joiners and guilders. There will be an opportunity to try out some of the applied craft skills needed to care for an ancient estate like York Minster’s. Free, pre-booked tickets required. 

The Works & Technology Hub: 10am to 4pm

Visitors can engage with the cutting-edge technology now operational in the Works & Technology Hub. They will see live demonstrations of saws and digital modelling, as well as speaking to York Minster staff and partners to understand how technology links with heritage crafts. Free, pre-booked tickets required. 

Heritage Pavilion: 10am to 4pm

A heritage pavilion, located in Minster Gardens in front of the York Minster Refectory, will provide an opportunity for people to talk to our heritage partners. This is an ideal opportunity for anyone considering a career in the heritage industry to speak to the many experts in their respective fields. No tickets are required to attend the careers pavilion.

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/heritage-fair-tickets-1258143694659?aff=oddtdtcreator

Posted on

York Museums Trust receives £192,096 from National Heritage Memorial Fund to save Melsonby Hoard for the nation

Dr Adam Parker, curator of Archaeology at York Museums Trust, handling an object in the Melsonby Hoard collection. Picture: Gareth Buddo for York Museums Trust

THE Yorkshire Museum, in York, has received £192,096 from the National Heritage Memorial Fund alongside public fundraising to acquire the Melsonby Hoard for future generations.

Discovered by a metal detectorist in 2021, near the village of Melsonby, North Yorkshire, the collection of more than 800 Iron Age artefacts dates back 2,000 years.

The hoard is a groundbreaking discovery for Iron Age research, featuring objects such as chariot wheels, cauldrons, horse bridles and ceremonial spears.

The quantity and variety of objects are unusual and have important implications for reassessing our understanding of Iron Age life in the north of England.

The hoard was excavated by a team of archaeologists from Durham University who stabilised and began researching this extraordinary find with financial support of more than £120,000 from Historic England and expert advice from the British Museum.

The find was reported under the Treasure Act 1996, administered by the Treasure Registry at the British Museum on behalf of the Department for Culture Media and Sport, and recorded with the Portable Antiquities Scheme.

Dr Andrew Woods, left, and Dr Adam Parker

Thanks to the collective hard work of these organisations, alongside support from the National Heritage Memorial Fund, £54,000 in donations from the public, via the online crowdfunder, and a further £20,000 in other donations, the purchase of the hoard has been secured for the Yorkshire Museum.

Here, further research, conservation and analytical work will be carried out to learn more about its contents and ensure its long-term preservation. It will also become an important part of the Yorkshire Museum’s public programme, sharing the discovery with the museum’s visitors.

The Yorkshire Museum will be continuing its fundraising work to support the next steps for the hoard: conservation, display and research. Conservation will be undertaken to stabilise objects and prepare them for display.

The museum will work in partnership to undertake detailed research into the objects, their context and their significance for understanding life in the Iron Age.

The National Heritage Memorial Fund exists as a fund of last resort to support the acquisition, preservation and maintenance of the UK’s most outstanding heritage to create a publicly accessible and timeless collection as a memorial for those who have given their lives for the UK.

Kathryn Blacker, chief executive of York Museums Trust, said: “The Melsonby Hoard is a significant piece of Yorkshire’s history and York Museums Trust is delighted to have secured the funding to acquire the hoard for the nation.

Objects from the Melsonby Hoard, secured for the Yorkshire Museum. Picture: Gareth Buddo for York Museums Trust

“Thanks to the incredible support of the National Heritage Memorial Fund, as well as generous donations from members of the public, the hoard will remain here in Yorkshire, to be made available for everyone to see and to enjoy.

“We remain committed to researching and conserving these unprecedented finds to improve our understanding of our shared past and securing them for future generations.”

Simon Thurley, chair of the National Heritage Memorial Fund, said: “The Melsonby Hoard throws bright new light on Iron Age life in Yorkshire and beyond. We are pleased to support this acquisition, which will keep the hoard intact, in the county in which it was buried and enable research to take place to gain a deeper insight into its origin and history.

“We are delighted to count the Melsonby Hoard as part of the growing and timeless collection of UK heritage that belongs to all of us forever.”

Dr Andrew Woods, head of research and collections at York Museums Trust, said: “The support from the public, other heritage organisations and the National Heritage Memorial Fund means the Melsonby Hoard remains in Yorkshire for the public.

“This is only the beginning of the story. Next the Yorkshire Museum will work in partnership to undertake a careful programme of conservation to reveal more of the hoard’s beauty and to keep it protected for future generations.

Handle with care: A close-up of an object from the Melsonby Hoard. Picture: Gareth Buddo for York Museums Trust

“There will also be a research project to understand the stories of creation and deposition. Over the coming years the hoard will be put on display, and we cannot wait to share it with our visitors.”

Deputy leader of City of York Council and executive member for economy and culture, Councillor Pete Kilbane, said: “The huge level of public interest in the Melsonby Hoard, and support for keeping it in York, shows just how much people value our city’s role in showcasing the heritage of Yorkshire and these islands that we call home.  It’s a major addition to a fantastic collection in the heart of York. 

“Thanks to all the organisations and public who have supported the project so far.  It feels like we are writing the next chapter in understanding our shared history, and York is at the centre of that story.”

The Yorkshire Museum, Museum Gardens, Museum Street, York, is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm.

The Melsonby Hoard: the back story

IN 2021, a metal detectorist unearthed a vast array of Iron Age metalwork in Melsonby, North Yorkshire. More than 800 items were uncovered, including parts of vehicles such as chariots, weapons and cauldrons, as well as hundreds of individual items, in the largest hoard of Iron Age metalwork found in the UK.

The site is located next to the hillfort at Stanwick, the royal capital of Cartimandua, queen of the Brigantes tribe, and less than 50 miles from the Yorkshire Museum.

This hugely significant discovery is an archaeological time capsule from 2,000 years ago, buried in the first century around the time of the Roman conquest of southern Britain. The quantity and variety of objects found together are highly unusual for the Iron Age.

The hoard includes partial remains of more than seven wagons and chariots, elaborate harnesses for at least 14 horses, three ceremonial spears, two ornate cauldrons, and an iron mirror. Similarities to objects found in France and Denmark and coral imported from the Mediterranean reveal a community with international connections.

A large amount of the material within the hoard was either burnt or broken at the time of burial, suggesting a symbolic process of people showing their wealth and power by destroying the objects.

The fundraising campaign

THE Melsonby Hoard is a game-changing discovery, shedding new light on Iron Age Britain’s technological skill, artistry, trading links and society. Without urgent action, however, this treasure could have been lost to private collections or dispersed beyond the UK.

The value of the hoard was assessed at £254,000. Raising this amount was sufficient to save the hoard from private sale, keeping it in a public museum where it will be available for research and public display.

The objects are all 2,000 years old and require professional conservation to prevent deterioration of the fragile metalwork, enamel and coral. To protect the hoard into the future, additional funds for conservation are needed, so the fundraising continues.

Posted on

Blue Light Theatre Company gives green light to new home at New Earswick Folk Hall for 2026 pantomime Owt O’ This World

Blue Light Theatre Company founder members Perri-Ann Barley, left, Devon Wells and Craig Barley

BIG changes lie ahead for The Blue Light Theatre Company as they announce their pantomime for 2026.

Acomb Working Men’s Club has been home to the York company’s panto since Blue Light was formed by York Ambulance Service staff in 2013, but financial constraints have led to the club’s decision to downsize by building a smaller venue on the existing Front Street site.

“Unfortunately this means that there’ll no longer be the space or facilities for such a large production,” says Blue Light stalwart Perri-Ann Barley. “We do have a new venue, though: New Earswick Folk Hall.  We’re very excited about this new chapter, although sad to leave the club behind after 12 years. They have been so good to us.

“The team at Blue Light express our heartfelt gratitude to everyone at the Acomb WMC; the committee past and present, the bar staff and the members for welcoming us into the club back in 2013 and allowing us to use this wonderful space, for rehearsals as well as the shows.

Blue Light Theatre Company’s cast for Owt O’ This World at New Earswick Folk Hall

“Without this kindness, the company wouldn’t have been able to raise so much money for our chosen charities, the Motor Neurone Disease Association York Group and York Against Cancer. The total now stands at £25,000.”

Perri continues: “For anyone who has previously attended the pantomimes, they would have seen that, even though the club concert room was huge, the stage and dressing rooms were tiny. However, that just made the challenge even more exciting, surprising the audience with creative and technical feats such as flying magic carpets, flying superheroes, disappearance tricks, transformation scenes and, best of all, a levitating witch!”

“But it’s onwards and upwards for the increasingly popular Blue Light Theatre as we announce our new venue as New Earswick Folk Hall. With great facilities, larger stage and backstage areas and fantastic support from the staff and management, the Blue Light cast is very excited for this new chapter.”

Blue Light Theatre Company’s poster for Owt O’ This World, next January’s intergalactic pantomime

The first panto at Blue Light’s new location will be Owt O’This World! – An Intergalactic Giant Yorkshire Pudding Filled Family Panto, written by Perri with additional script material by Steven Clark.

“Directed by Craig Barley and choreographed by Devon Wells, this Yorkshire vs Space-themed offering is ready to launch and take our audiences on an exciting new journey from January 28 to 31 2026,” says Perri.

Tickets for the 7.30pm evening shows and 2.30pm Saturday matinee are on sale on 07933 329654 or via ticketsource.co.uk/thebluelighttheatrecompany

Posted on

York Georgian Festival revives Joseph Peterson’s 18th century comic romp The Raree Show at Merchant Taylors’ Hall

Geoff Turner’s Sir Thomas Graspall in Mr Joseph Peterson’s The Raree Show or The Fox Trap’t. Picture: Gareth Buddo

IN a celebration of 18th century theatre and the lives of York’s Georgian players and comedians, The Raree Show or The Fox Trap’t will open the York Georgian Festival 2025. 

Presented by Holy Trinity, Goodramgate, at Merchant Taylors’ Hall, Aldwark, on August 7, the hour-long 7.30pm performance promises entertainment, wit and historical intrigue.

Think of all the delightful clichés of 18th century theatre: mannered acting; plays with double titles; characters whose names give away their personalities;wicked uncles, clever servants, comedy foreigners; physical comedy and happy endings.

“Joseph Peterson’s The Raree Show or The Fox Trap’t delivers all of this with a hearty dose of charm,” says director Sarah Cowling, York tour guide and Churches Conservation Trust volunteer at Holy Trinity, Goodramgate, who is fascinated by York’s Georgian theatrical scene.

Andrea Mitchell’s Belinda. Picture: Toni Wainwright

“Joseph Peterson, a parishioner from Goodramgate, described in the parish register as ‘comedian’, wrote this piece specifically to delight and amuse the citizens of York – the city he ‘reveres’. When it was first performed in 1738, it is very likely that it was performed in the very hall we will be performing in on August 7: Merchant Taylors’ Hall.

“Very likely”, Sarah? “The source I had for proof that the piece was performed in York has proven unreliable. It is ‘most likely’ that it was performed here in York – as it was written for the city and the original Dramatic Personae are all from York – but I cannot find the playbill or proof. It is ‘most likely’ that it was performed in Merchant Taylors’. Indeed some of the original actors are known to have performed in there,” she says.

“After success at last year’s Georgian Festival with a read-through of Peterson’s masterpiece, Merchant Taylors’ have been kind enough to offer use of the hall for this year’s ‘off-book’ production.”

Peterson’s theatrical romp is billed as “a tale of a ward trapped into marriage against her late father’s wishes; divided couples reunited; sword fights; terrible French accents; clever tricks and a satisfying ‘happily ever after’”.

 Nick Patrick Jones’s Sir Fopling Conceit. Picture: Gareth Buddo 

“The driving force behind this production is the fascinating figure of Mr Joseph Peterson, an actor, parishioner of Holy Trinity, Goodramgate, and writer,” says Sarah. “Peterson was so dedicated to his craft that he added new meaning to the phrase ‘dying on stage’ – later in life, quite literally dying mid-performance.

“The Raree Show or The Fox Trap’t is very much a vehicle for Mr Peterson. He wrote it, he introduces it, appears in it and wraps up the proceedings.”

Born in 1710, Peterson married Margaret Whare in St Michael le Belfrey at the age of 22. In January 1738, their son Joseph was baptised at Holy Trinity, Goodramgate, hence his listing as a ‘comedian’ in the parish records.

“He was a key member of Thomas Keregan’s company of actors, performing in productions such as Twin Rivals, The Shepherd’s Opera and The Trepan or Virtue Rewarded,” says Sarah.

Joy Warner’s Corinna. Picture: Gareth Buddo

“Before the establishment of York Theatre Royal, one of the venues used for theatre in York was the Merchant Taylors’ Hall, where we will stage our lively production, mirroring where The Raree Show or The Fox Trap’t may have been performed nearly 300 years ago.”

18th century life on stage was often unpredictable. In 1746, Peterson left York theatre for the Norwich Theatre Company, where he continued to thrive. “However, in October 1758, while performing Measure For Measure at Market Cross Theatre in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, he collapsed mid-performance. His last words were, ‘reason thus with life if I do lose thee I lose a thing that none but fools would keep a breath thou art…’, says Sarah.

“He died in the arms of fellow actor Mr Moody. Curiously, Mr Moody had previously experienced another actor’s death in his arms on stage in Harrogate!”

What can next Thursday’s audience expect? “It might help to know that A Raree Show is essentially a peep show – images in a box, not necessarily risqué. In our production, the Raree Show refers to various current events (current to the 1730s), adding a satirical edge to the performance.”

The cast for last summer’s York Georgian Festival read-through of The Raree Show or The Fox Trap’t

Funds raised from this charity performance will be used to conserve the First World War Roll of Honour from Bedern National School, displayed at Holy Trinity Church, Goodramgate. “The performance of the work, written by a former more than 100 years ago,” says Sarah.

Summing up next Thursday’s performance, she concludes: “We invite our audience to step into the 18th century and revel in the theatrical artistry of The Raree Show or The Fox Trap’t. With its captivating storyline and historical insights, this production is sure to be an unforgettable highlight of the York Georgian Festival.

“The show has sold out, which is brilliant, but there’s a whole catalogue of these funny little York-grown Georgian shows. I really hope we can unearth more.” 

York Georgian Festival: Holy Trinity, Goodramgate, presents Joseph Peterson’s The Raree Show or The Fox Trap’t, Merchant Taylors’ Hall, Aldwark, York, August 7, 7.30pm; doors 7pm. SOLD OUT. Booking link for returns: tps://bit.ly/3EnRhEY.

Who’s in the cast for The Raree Show of The Fox Trap’t?

York tour guide Mad Alice: Making cameo appearance in The Raree Show or The Fox Trap’t

Sir Thomas Graspall, played by Geoff Turner; Squire Timothy and Smart, Joe Standerline; Manly, Matt Tapp; Belamour, Zander Fick; Sir Fopling Conceit and Mr Joseph Peterson, Nick Patrick Jones; Servant and Mrs Peterson, Aileen Bloomer; Belinda, Andrea Mitchell; Corinna, Joy Warner, and Betty, Mad Alice (in a cameo by The Bloody Tour of York guide Alicia Stabler). 

Posted on

York River Art Market’s 10th anniversary as city’s answer to Paris’s Left Bank opens this weekend. 80 artists & makers to take part

Lucy Hook Designs’ poster for York River Art Market’s tenth anniversary

YORK River Art Market’s tenth anniversary season on the banks of the Ouse begins this weekend.

As many as 80 artists will take be taking part this year, split into 30 exhibitors on each of the six days, August 2 and 3, August 9 and 10 and August 16 and 17, from 10am to 5.30pm.

For details of each day’s participating artists and designers stationed at riverside stalls on Dame Judi Dench Walk, by Lendal Bridge, head to YRAM’s Facebook page at https://facebook.com/YorkRiverArtMarket/events.

As ever, the free event is organised by founder Charlotte Dawson, a graphics, jewellery and vocational art and design tutor and Fenwick Street artist, who specialises in abstract paintings, layered with paint and collage, and is now setting up her own jewellery business too after making pieces for ten years.

“York River Art Market is something I’ve always run on my own, albeit with a little help this year,” she says. “People can see my graft and my passion for it, and it has that drive behind it. It’s about supporting the artists of York and beyond; it’s free to attend; it’s a grassroots initiative– and that has a positive knock-on effect for the artists.

“It’s a collective enterprise, where I hold the reins but it wouldn’t be anything without the artists and the people who support it by attending.

“We care that each of the six events are never the same and so we host a different variety of creatives at each one, which means there’s always something for everyone’s creative tastes and budget. You can buy an original artwork for £500 or a card for £2.”

Her market has been called York’s answer to Paris’s Left Bank and its multitude of bohemian arts fairs by the Seine, but Charlotte says: “I’ve still not been there, so I’ll have to take people’s word for it.”.

Looking back to the York market’s origins, Charlotte recalls: “Like everything, inspiration came from various things. I was working with Sophie Jewett at York Cocoa House and she knew I wanted to do something after I’d left university. I knew there wasn’t an arts market in York, and that’s when the space at Dame Judi Dench Walk was brought to my attention by Sophie’s friend at the council.

“It was the right time for me to go off and do something more freelance, and when I looked into setting up a market positioned by railings, Bayswater Road Art Market, in London, came to my attention, so I contacted the organiser for advice and started the York market after that.”

Charlotte marked out the cornerstones for establishing a market. “Part of the running of this event involves strong quality artists, but a huge part of it is creating an atmosphere that is welcoming. Part of the drive for me was to make it accessible and less imposing that having to go into a shop,” she says.

“You get the direct relationship between the artist and the potential buyer. There’s no middle man. That relationship between maker and buyer, for me, when I purchase something, you know it’s hand-made, and if you can get a bit of a back story, you’re getting more for your money as a buying experience, which makes it more valuable.”

Charlotte Dawson: York River Art Market founder and organiser, teacher, artist and jewellery designer

Reflecting on ten years of York River Art Market, crowned by winning the Best Community Project/Event at the York Culture Awards, Charlotte says: “In the Covid year, the event went online and obviously it wasn’t the same,  but it survived and I  can honestly say that the amount and the quality of the submissions has really grown, especially over the past two years.

“There were hundreds of applications this year, and plenty of them were new. The call-out goes out in January and the six days were full by the end of February – and I don’t take people on just because they apply; I do select who will take part. The quality is really good this year.

“If I were to run my own gallery, the art might be exclusively more to my taste, but I see York River Art Market as being ‘by the people, for the people’. There’s something for everybody.” To prove the point, ceramics, jewellery, paintings, prints, textiles, ceramics, photography, woodwork, clothing, soaps, candles and cards will be on sale.

Among the artists and makers taking part this year will be regular participants Bejojoart, Adele Karmazyn, York 360 illustrator Elliot Harrison and FangFest potters Fangfoss Pottery; York singer and artist Heather Findlay; North Eastern ceramicist Amy Rutherford; York College graphics degree tutor and Ripon artist Monica Gabb, of Twenty Birds designs.

So will be Katrina Mansfield, from PICA Studios, in Grape Lane, showcasing her fluid art animal inks; conceptual artist Hannah Turlington,  whose paintings “evoke the fragility of emotions”, and Feis Crochet Studios. “With the way of the world right now, you think, ‘we need the vibrancy of her crochét flowers’,” says Charlotte.

Look out too for CharKnots’ eco-conscious macramé homeware and accessories, from Sheffield; LDM  Designs’ eco-friendly lino-prints that raise awareness of environmental issues, and York landscape painter Charley Hellier, who is working on two collections: the dark, stormy and gothic Tempestarii, related to medieval storm creation mythology, and the peaceful and quietly pensive Reverie.

Lucy Hook Designs had “the absolute pleasure” of designing this year’s poster to mark YRAM’s tenth anniversary. “I had so much fun designing it,” says Lucy. “We wanted to incorporate the tools used by all the makers, and also different parts of this wonderful city. My favourite part is the river coming out of the gouache tube!

“We’ve done some limited-edition Risograph printed versions that have been put up in some special businesses around York and I’ll have some prints for sale at the markets too. I’ll be down by the river for all six dates, so let’s all pray for nice weather. Come on down to say ‘hi’.”

York River Art Market not only nurtures artistic talent from York and beyond but also supports charities, led off by York Rescue Boat, whose tenth anniversary also falls this year. Amnesty International’s Bookshop will be on site on August 9 and graphic designer Laura Sanderson’s Art Is My Career Studio on August 17. Her charity specialises in investing in arts education, travelling around schools to promote art as a career. How apt for YRAM.

Will York River Art Market still be here in a decade’s time, Charlotte? “The next ten years? Well, I like to take it one year at a time but I would be honoured if YRAM could continue and, like Bayswater, be a staple of the art scene. Maybe I could even hand it over one day,” she says.

“There is scope, when so far it’s been a sideline for me from my teaching, doing it without support. There’s potential for working with a team and growing where it can grow, but I like the organic nature of it as it is now: working with a different artist each year for the poster, supporting charities and promoting local artists.”