Tag: David Skaith

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Art Of Protest Projects bring mural artists to Front Street for Acomb Fest in July

Jeff Clark: Creative director of Art Of Protest Projects

INTERNATIONAL mural artists will deliver York’s first creative mural festival at the Acomb Fest from July 3 to 5.

Run by Art Of Protest Projects and York & North Yorkshire Combined Authority, the three-day event will add up to 15 venues, four live mural paintings, ten art installations, more than 30 bands, DJs and performers, plus paint jam and spray battles, in a packed programme of creative events for all ages.

Watch the live paints with headliners including Australia superstar SMUG, known as “the world’s best photorealistic artist”; Sheffield muralist Peachzz, 2024 runner-up for Best Mural in the World; leading wildlife artist Curtis Hylton and returnee Acomb superstar Sledone.

“Look out for surprise renowned acts and secret pop-ups to follow for some pre-festival installations that will create a nature-inspired open-air art gallery,” says Art Of Protest creative director Jeff Clark.

Creative events and activities will be centred on Front Street, Acomb, with free street art workshops. Venues include Bluebird Bakery, SoJo, The Tap and The Fox, connecting all the green spaces and parks.

Each venue will have its own bespoke offer with individual tickets and availability being released on the Acomb Fest website, with live announcements to follow for details of bush craft, nature art,  water art and artist talks.

Rare Collective will deliver DJs;  nine artists will showcase their skills in live spray battles at the Carlton Tavern; a community cinema will run at Acomb Explore library and a spoken-word event at Book and Bevs.

A full programme of family-friendly free activities will be held at Acomb Methodist Church; That Acomb Arty Thing will host an artist market; the Gateway Church will mount art exhibitions and Fishponds Wood will run mini-beast trails.

Further events will be local history tours, light installations in Holgate Windmill and pop-up stalls run by Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and York Civic Trust.

There will be specialist food and drink offerings throughout the festival, including Spirit Of Yorkshire and an international mixologist. Tickets and listings will become available at https://acombfest.co.uk/

Acomb Fest was shaped by speaking to more than 1,100 residents, leading to the theme of  returning to nature. The festival was made possible by funding from York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority Vibrant and Sustainable High Street Fund, Great Acomb Community Forum, City of York Council, York St John University, York and business and the community.

David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, says: “High streets are constantly changing, but they have, and always will be, hubs for our communities. That’s why I’m backing community-led projects across York and North Yorkshire. 

“Like Acomb Fest, which will transform Front Street, Acomb, into an open-air gallery and event centre, creating legacy and vibrancy through co-production, talent development and sustainability. 

“Residents and businesses understand most of what is needed in their communities, and I am proud to be backing their plans with my Vibrant and Sustainable High Street Fund.”

If you would like to be involved, please email acombfest.aop@gmail.com. Creative director Jeff Clark says: This is an inclusive project, so we would love to hear from community groups and businesses that would like to deliver activities during the festival or host events.

“We are keen to transform and uplift the area, so will be creating a wall library, so please get in touch if you have a wall to paint. We are here to celebrate local creatives so will be arranging a programme of events for artists to exhibit and be part of the festival.

“We are also keen for local musicians to come forward to perform at one of the local venues. There will be volunteer opportunities as well as the talent development programme.”

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Colour & Light 2026 turns spotlight on York’s rogues & rebels at York Castle Museum and Clifford’s Tower until Sunday

Who was Mary Bateman? Find out at Colour & Light 2026 at York Castle Museum and Clifford’s Tower

THOUSANDS of visitors have already enjoyed Colour & Light 2026 as the dual-façade projection show continues to light up York Castle Museum and Clifford’s Tower.

Now into its final week, the family-friendly free event has turned the Eye of York into a gathering point each evening, when audiences can watch a fully choreographed ten-minute projection on rotation.

Delivered by York BID in partnership with Edinburgh installation designers Double Take Projections, as well as York Museums Trust and English Heritage, this winter’s show brings York’s rogues and rebels, scoundrels and legends to life in a projected experience that draws on the city’s rich and sometimes surprising history.

Despite the incessant rain, an estimated 24,000 people watched Colour & Light 2026 in its first week when, at its peak, more than 1,200 people gathered to watch a single showing on the first Saturday evening, as York & Light seeks to surpass the 100,000 viewing figures for last year’s 18 shows per night across 20 nights.

Backed by £46,914 funding from the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, Colour & Light has drawn large and varied crowds into the city centre during February’s coldest and darkest weeks, supporting York’s evening economy at a quieter time of year.

Carl Alsop, operations manager at York BID, says: “Seeing over 1,200 people gathered together for one show on that first Saturday really highlighted what Colour & Light has become:  a moment people experience together in the city centre.

“Despite the very wet weather we’re experiencing at the moment, the atmosphere has been strong each night, with people meeting up, bringing family and enjoying York after dark. There’s still time to see it, and we hope many more people will take the opportunity.”

Siona Mackelworth, Head of Audience and Programme at York Museums Trust, says: “York Castle Museum is pleased to be supporting York BID on Colour & Light for 2026. York Museums Trust last participated in 2024, when the projections of our incredible collections lit up the front of York Art Gallery.

“The 2026 show brings something different as it explores some of York’s potentially lesser-known history and, for the first time, will be projected across multiple buildings. Working in conjunction with York BID and English Heritage at Clifford’s Tower has been an exciting venture in bringing two iconic York locations together.”

David Skaith, Mayor of York & North Yorkshire, says: “High streets are constantly changing, but they have, and always will be, hubs for our communities. That’s why I’m backing community-led projects across York and North Yorkshire.

“Like Colour & Light in York, which brings people into the city centre with a light show projected onto some of York’s best-known buildings. It’s a simple but creative way to attract visitors and give everyone something special to enjoy.

“Residents and businesses understand most what is needed in their communities, and I am proud to be backing their plans with my £10m Vibrant and Sustainable High Street Fund.”

Among those rebellious and legendary figures featured in Colour & Light 2026 are Dick Turpin and Guy (or “Guido”) Fawkes, Mary Bateman, Swift Nick, Eric Bloodaxe, Moonlight Maggie, the Filey Brigg Dragon, the Roman Soldiers at Treasurer’s House and the Barghest, a legendary monstrous black dog that haunts the snickelways and streets of York.

“We’re so lucky to be from a city that is so rich in heritage,” says Carl. “Everyone loves a villain: someone with an edge and whose backstory is as intriguing as it is alarming.

“They’ve got questionable morals and they’ve got complexities, complexities that keep appearing in fictional characters. This is what draws us in and is what we have in abundance in this city.”

The continuous, looped Colour & Light show runs every evening until Sunday (22/2/2026), with projections starting at 6pm and running every ten minutes until 9pm. Admission is free; no tickets are required; the best viewing point is the Eye of York.