Artists asked to create mural for town anniversary

Artists have been invited to submit ideas for a mural to celebrate Scarborough's 400th anniversary.

The successful design will be painted on the McBean apartments building on St Nicholas Cliff, with funding of up to £17,500 available for the work.

A North Yorkshire Council spokesperson said the project aimed to find an "original design that responds creatively to the Scarborough 400 theme while reflecting Scarborough's history, character and sense of place".

It comes after criticism last month of the council's decision to use AI-generated designs for a deckchair trail across the town, rather than original works by local artists.

The new mural commission presented an opportunity to create a "highly visible public artwork in a key location overlooking St Nicholas Cliff and close to Scarborough's seafront," the authority said.

The council said the successful proposal would contribute to wider improvements taking place across the town, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Applications can be submitted by artists across the UK, but a spokesperson for the authority said they were particularly keen to hear from artists who are based in, work in, or have connections to the North Yorkshire coast.

Following criticism of the council's use of an agency to create AI-generated designs for part of a temporary trail, a spokesperson said they would "continue to support local artists through a wide range of cultural programmes, events and initiatives across North Yorkshire".

Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.