Make It York

Halloween in the ‘most haunted city in Europe’

Celebrate the spookiest time of the year in the ‘most haunted city in Europe’ with a visit to York this October. York offers tricks, treats and spooky encounters for all with a wide range of new ghoulish experiences, trails and events on offer this year.

From family-friendly magical adventures to experiences a little more gruesome and frightening, there is something for everyone. Partnering with York Dungeon and York Park & Ride, Visit York have developed a very special spooky video to celebrate the city this Halloween with a website hub packed full of the creepiest things to do in the city.

Here’s York’s best Halloween experiences to celebrate this spooky season:

Séance Halloween Show at The York Dungeon (26th September to 6th November)

Join York Dungeon’s sinister Victorian medium, Georgiana Eagle, otherwise known as Madame Card, in a brand-new Halloween show. Get ready to contact the Spirit world as you find yourself in the year 1872, participating in one of Madame Card’s sought after Séance shows where she will open your eyes to the world of the unliving. More information here.

York BID’s Ghosts in The Garden (23rd September to 7th November)

The eerie sculptures, which were first installed in Museum Gardens last year, are back bigger and better than ever. This year, the BID are adding ghosts to more of York’s beautiful city centre gardens including Treasurer’s House, The Merchant Adventurers Hall, Middletons Hotel, The Artists Garden and St Anthony’s Garden.

Hallowscream at York Maze (13th October to 5th November)

Dare you face Hallowscream’s killer clowns or flesh-eating zombies? This immersive scare experience features five live action haunted house attractions, roving characters and more.

www.yorkmazehallowscream.co.uk

Dorian Deathly: A Night of Face-Melting Horror at Theatre@41 (26^th to 31^st October)

Celebrate Halloween with local Spookologist and ghost botherer Dorian Deathly with an evening of ghost stories, paranormal sciences, original music and perhaps the odd unexpected guest. Explore spine-chilling tales of hauntings, both local and further afield, dissemble horrors captured on film and follow the ghost story through from the origins, the Victorian classics and modern-day frights. Book tickets here.

Hocus Pocus Halloween at Mother Shipton’s (22^nd to 31^st October)

Beware of the cackles of old souls wandering the ancient woodland or feel a shiver down your spine stepping into the Haunted Halloween Village. There’s frightful fun to be had with photo opportunities and fancy dress competitions. More information here.

The Little York Ghost Hunt (24^th to 27^th October)

As twilight gives way to night, The York Ghost Merchants invite you to join the search for Little York Ghosts along the atmospheric ancient streets that surround York Minster each evening between 6pm and 8pm (Monday – Thursday only). There are 125 Little York Ghosts to find each evening, including some which are rare & unusual. This is a free event and maps will be available from The York Ghost Merchants, The Visitor Information Centre and selected independent retailers from mid-October. There will also be a printable version of The Little York Ghost Hunt map available from this page nearer the event.

Trick or Treat Chocolate Bar Workshop at York Cocoa Works (16^th to 31^st October)

Design and craft your own spooky Chocolate Bar in the shape of a Ghost or a Bat this Halloween at York Cocoa Works! £22.50 pp (under 5s go free with a paying adult). More information here.

William’s Pumpkin Experience at William’s Den (7^th to 30^th October)

William’s Pumpkins is a picture-perfect scene for families to visit and celebrate the arrival of autumn together. Experience the sights and smells of the new season and of course, pick your own pumpkins to take home, carve, paint, decorate and cook. Lace up your boots, slip on your gloves and head out to pick the perfect pumpkin. Knobbly ones, wrinkly ones, different shapes and sizes, there is a bountiful supply of shiny pumpkins, quirky gourds and lumpy squashes. There is an ideal pumpkin for everyone. More information here.

Ghost Hunts with Paranormal Research (various locations and dates)

Paranormal Research investigate some of York’s most historic and haunted venues. This October, they are hosting ghost hunts at The Guildhall, The Merchant Adventurers’ Hall, Bedern Hall, The Black Swan and Sandwitches Café. More information here.

Pick Your Own Pumpkins at The Balloon Tree (1^st to 31^st October)

Looking for a fun and exciting way to choose the perfect pumpkin for the Halloween season?Why not visit The Balloon Tree’s Pick Your Own Pumpkin field! Whilst you’re there, see what local and seasonal produce they have available in the Farm Shop, or pop into the Cafe for a coffee and a slice of homemade cake. More information here.

The Graveyard Grimoire at The Mansion House (24^th to 30^th October)

In days gone by, those departing the mortal coil of this parish were buried in St Helen’s Square. With progress came the removal of their resting place. Each year, these restless souls venture to the Mansion House to attend the Dance of the Dead. However, to pass through the veil and attend this supernatural ball, they must be remembered in the land of the living. Visit the Mansion House to complete the ‘’Graveyard Grimoire’ an adventure through ghostly residents of St Helens Square. A surprising, creepy, and entertaining event suitable for all ages. Included in the standard admission price. No tickets or booking required.

The Phantom Carriage at The National Centre for Early Music (26^th October)

The last person to die before the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve is doomed to ride Death’s carriage, collecting souls for the year ahead. This eerie and innovative Swedish film classic (which inspired a twelve-year-old Ingmar Bergman to make films) is a Dickensian ghost story and a deeply moving drama – as well as a showcase for ground breaking special effects. Frame Ensemble, a quartet of Northern musicians specialising in improvised silent film accompaniments, will complement the haunting visuals with a unique, spontaneous musical performance. Booking information here.

October Light Spectacular at North Yorkshire Moors Railway (22^nd to 30^th October)

Marvel at heritage carriages, decorated with thousands of lights, before departing from Pickering Station for an awe-inspiring journey alongside a DJ-Mix of music that will get you in the mood for a party the whole family will enjoy. Each passenger will be given their own interactive LED wristband which is synchronised to the music and passengers become part of the show. This hour-long round trip, with on-board narration and music, departs from Pickering Station for Levisham Station every evening from 22 to 30 October. More information here.

Dungeon Lates (Saturdays 1^st to 29^th October, Fridays 21^st and 28^th October)

Dungeon LATES evenings (strictly 18+ adults only) will be running on selected dates throughout October and offer guests a darker, scarier and naughtier alternative to the daytime tours. These evenings also feature a new exclusive 11th show, Body Snatchers! More information here.

Little Peasants City Walking Tour with The York Dungeon (22^nd to 30^th October)

For the Little Peasants who are too young (or scared!) for The York Dungeon, this one-hour tour of the City of York will give families the chance to walk, laugh and learn as they explore the famous sights including Clifford’s Tower, York Minster and The Shambles. The York Dungeon’s Dungeon Jester and lovable sidekick Smedley will talk about York’s most infamous rogues and heavenly saints including Dick Turpin, Guy Fawkes and the Pearl of York herself, Margaret Clitherow. More information here.

Halloween at City Cruises (22^nd to 31^st October)

Beware! City Cruises are Halloween-ifying their Boats! During the day, the York City Cruise will be decked out, but at night on the Early Evening Cruise, there will be spiders and skeletons cruising the Ouse.

Take a famous York Ghost Walk (various dates)

Learn more about the haunting history of York on one of the city’s famous ghost walks. Browse our recommended ghost guides here.

Stately Superstitions: Eerie Encounters at the Castle (21^st to 23^rd, 28^th to 31^st October)

Explore the uncanny on this behind-the-scenes tour of Castle Howard where not all is as it seems. If you were to venture beyond the visitor route, below stairs, you’d encounter a labyrinth of dark cellars and never-ending corridors. Long since servants walked the halls and a fire ripped through the now empty wings, these parts of Castle Howard have remained largely unchanged. Those interested in the history of the House may revel at the chance to explore these quarters, but a stay longer than necessary provokes a sense of unnerving discomfort causing the imagination to try and make sense of the darkness. More information here.

Halloween Masterclass (24^th to 29^th October) and Halloween Tour & Truffle Rolling (17^th to 30^th October) at York’s Chocolate Story

This Halloween, experience the York’s Chocolate Story tour with some added spooky extras! You’ll have the opportunity to decorate four ghostly chocolates with rat blood and goblin snot fillings. Plus, the Halloween Masterclass experience includes blind trick-or-treat tasting and a signature hot chocolate with a fully costumed chocolatier and assistant. From eyeball truffles to Trick or Treat chocolate wheels, Halloween at York’s Chocolate Story will be one to remember! https://www.yorkschocolatestory.com/

For the wizards and witches of York, why not make a magical potion at The Potion’s Cauldron or have a round of mini golf at The Hole In Wand this Halloween. You can also learn more about York’s magical history on one of the city’s walking tours, such as York Witches & History Walking Tour and The Wizard Walk of York.

Bring Halloween home with a visit to Shambles Market. Wigginton Road Nurseries will be selling a range of ornamental pumpkin decorations and autumnal floral displays, plus traders throughout the market will have spooky decorations and clothing to buy.

Sarah Loftus, Managing Director at Make It York, said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with York Park & Ride and The York Dungeon on our spookiest campaign of the year! York is a must-see destination year-round, but there is no eerier time to be in the city than at Halloween – we are the ‘most haunted city in Europe’ after all. This Halloween, we have a huge programme of events across the city and beyond for the whole family to enjoy.”

John Godfrey, Head of Marketing for First York, said: “Halloween is one of those times in the year when York really comes into its own as a place to experience fun and frights! By teaming up with York Dungeon and Visit York we’re encouraging people get to a ghoulish gathering by bus – it’s the best way to arrive right outside the dungeon doors or stop off on a scary street in the city.”

Mark Mattinson, General Manager of The York Dungeon, said: “We cannot wait to launch our scariest Halloween show ever – Séance. Our terrifying team have pulled out all the stops this year and we cannot wait to SCARE, ahem, welcome York’s visitors to join us…I just hope they make it to the end of the show!

“For those with Little Peasants who are not quite ready for The Dungeon, our Little Peasant’s Walking Tours will show younger visitors the sights of York in the comfort of the daylight.

“We are delighted to be partnering with Visit York and First York Park and Ride on this year’s Haunted York campaign. We look forward to welcoming visitors to the UK’s Home of Halloween – it promises to be even bigger, better and without a doubt SCARIER than last year!”

ENDS

For more information:

Sarah Foster and Brittany Guymer

Communications team at Make It York

Comms@makeityork.com

About Make It York

Make It York’s purpose is to develop and promote the city and its surroundings – nationally and internationally – as a vibrant and attractive place to live, visit, study, work and do business. The company’s remit covers leisure and business tourism, city centre management, Shambles Market and festivals and events.

Visit York is a part of Make It York and is the leisure tourism brand

Under the brand Visit York, Make It York’s aim is to market York as a must-see world-class destination to the leisure visitor and ensure investment to develop the quality of tourism in York.

York Park & Ride
Make travelling into the city easier with York Park & Ride! Avoid the hassle and expense of driving into the centre with buses up to every 12 minutes and free parking at all sites – what’s more, an Adult Return ticket is just £3.50 and up to three children go free. To find out more about York’s Park & Ride service, including fare and timetable information, visit: https://bit.ly/3bWBImy

Finalists Announced for Visit York Tourism Awards 2023

Finalists in the Visit York Tourism Awards, sponsored by LNER, have been revealed today. Celebrating the best in tourism, hospitality and culture, finalists will go head-to-head to win one of 16 trophies on Thursday 23rd March 2023.

The ‘Tourism Oscars of the North’ will take place in a glitzy ceremony at York Racecourse hosted by award-winning journalist and legendary broadcaster, John Stapleton. John has more than 50 years of experience working in television and newspapers, spending 17 years as a presenter for GMTV, Daybreak and Good Morning Britain. On hosting the Visit York Tourism Awards, John Stapleton said: “Really looking forward to the awards ceremony and visiting the wonderful city of York. It’s a long time since my school trips there.”

Eligible winners across a number of categories will be automatically put forward to the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2023 to compete for the crown of the country’s best. York has a strong record of national glory, with Middletons Hotel’s General Manager Adam Wardale taking the national Unsung Hero Award in the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2022.

New categories for 2023 include ‘Cultural Venue of the Year’ to celebrate the city’s thriving culture scene. The ‘Ethical, Responsible & Sustainable Tourism Award’ champions businesses who go above and beyond in their commitment to the environment and the wider community.

Sarah Loftus, Managing Director at Make It York, said: “We had such a brilliant turnout in entries this year, with incredibly strong applications across the board. A huge congratulations to our finalists announced today, who have demonstrated excellence in their sectors across tourism, hospitality and culture. The Visit York Tourism Awards celebrate the countless organisations who work tirelessly year-round to deliver the very best experiences for visitors and residents. We look forward to celebrating their successes at the ceremony in March.”

David Horne, Managing Director at LNER, said: “From historic sites to wonderful places to eat and stay, York has so much to offer and is one of the most popular destinations on the LNER route. We are therefore proud to support the Visit York Tourism Awards, helping to celebrate the individuals and businesses that continue to work hard to make York such a great place to visit. Congratulations to all those who have been selected as a finalist.”

Councillor Darryl Smalley: Executive Member for Culture, Leisure and Communities, said: “York is proud to be home to many excellent businesses and individuals who work incredibly hard to create unique visitor experiences for the millions of visitors exploring our city each year. These businesses are an essential part of our city and I am delighted to see such a diverse group of finalists this year. Their hard work, resilience and creativity will be rightly recognised and celebrated at the Tourism Awards. With so many excellent businesses in the tourism sector in York, it really is an achievement to be shortlisted. Congratulations and good luck to all finalists!”

Visit York Tourism Awards Finalists 2023:

B&B and Guest House of the Year**

MonkBridge House

The Bishop & The Bison

Westergate House

The Sidings Hotel & Restaurant

Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the Year**

Wigwam Holidays Ball Hall Farm

Wolds Edge Holiday Lodges

York Meadows Camping & Caravan Park

Cultural Venue of the Year* sponsored by Clarion Housing Group

York Theatre Royal

York Mansion House

Grand Opera House York

York Barbican

Ethical, Responsible & Sustainable Tourism Award sponsored by The Fabl

Stillingfleet Lodge Gardens

Avorium

Fairfax Corner

Event or Festival the Year* sponsored by LNER

York Proms

York Maze Hallowscream

Yorktoberfest

York Fashion Week

York Theatre Royal – An Evening with Kyiv City Ballet

Experience of the Year sponsored by Destination Core

The Wizard Walk of York

The Cookery School at The Grand, York

The Hilt

The Deathly Dark Tours

Large Visitor Attraction of the Year**

The York Dungeon

Castle Howard

North Yorkshire Moors Railway

The Web Adventure Park

JORVIK Viking Centre (York Archaeological Trust)

The Hole in Wand York

Large Hotel of the Year sponsored by Streamline Taxis

The Grand, York

Middletons Hotel – part of Daniel Thwaites

Malmaison York

New Tourism Business of the Year**

No.1 by GuestHouse, York

22 Yards Wine Bar & Merchants

Avorium

A Brecks Away Holiday Cottages

The Wizard Walk of York

Pub of the Year sponsored by Hunter Gee Holroyd

Valhalla York

The Drovers Arms Restaurant & Country Pub

Resilience & Innovation Award sponsored by York St John University

City Sightseeing (Transdev)

Next Door But One CIC

Yemen Heaven

The Deathly Dark Tours

Retailer of the Year* sponsored by Fidomoney

York Gin

Avorium

Antiques Centre York

The Potions Cauldron

Self Catering Accommodation of the Year

The Dovecote Barns

Wolds Edge Holiday Lodges

A Brecks Away Holiday Cottages

Small Visitor Attraction of the Year**

Mother Shipton’s Cave

York Army Museum

World of James Herriot

Small Hotel of the Year sponsored by Inglis Chartered Accountants

Grays Court Hotel & The Bow Room Restaurant

Feversham Arms Hotel & Verbena Spa

No.1 by GuestHouse, York

Taste of England Award sponsored by Fowlers of York

The Bow Room Restaurant at Grays Court Hotel

Corner Grill House Restaurant

Chopping Block at Walmgate Ale House

The Raj York

*Visit York only. These categories are not eligible to go forward to the Visit England Awards for Excellence.

**Sponsorship opportunities available.

Tickets for the glittering awards ceremony event on Thursday 23rd March 2023 are available from today. Book your tickets here. (Tickets cost £75 plus VAT for Visit York members, or £70 plus VAT when booking a table of 10. Tickets cost £95 plus VAT for non-members).

More information about the Visit York Tourism Awards can be found at visityork.org/awards

ENDS

For further information please contact:

Sarah Foster and Brittany Guymer

Communications team at Make It York

Email: comms@makeityork.com

Notes to Editors:

About Make It York

Visit York is a part of Make It York and is the leisure tourism brand

Under the brand Visit York, Make It York’s aim is to market York as a must-see world-class destination to the leisure visitor and ensure investment to develop the quality of tourism in York.

About John Stapleton

John Stapleton is an award-winning journalist with more than 50 years of experience in newspapers and television. He was the Royal Television Society’s Presenter of the Year in 2004 for his work covering the war in Iraq and a series of interviews with, amongst others, the then Prime Minister, Tony Blair. John’s career began as a journalist in local newspapers and progressed to Fleet Street where he worked on two national newspapers. After a four-year spell in regional TV he became a presenter on the BBC’s hugely popular Nationwide programme for five years and later a foreign correspondent with Panorama and Newsnight. He co-presented the BBC Watchdog programme with his wife Lynn Faulds Wood for seven years, hosted the ITV daytime chat show The Time the Place and spent 17 years as a presenter at GMTV, Daybreak and Good Morning Britain.

Winners of the Visit York Tourism Awards 2022:

B&B and Guest House of the Year – Sponsored by Morrell Middleton

Winner: Tower Guest House

Finalists: MonkBridge House, Westergate House

Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the Year – Sponsored by The Fabl

Winner: Wigwam Holidays Ball Hall Farm

Finalists: Springwood Shepherd Huts Glamping York, Wolds Walk Glamping

Experience of the Year – Sponsored by Destination Core

Winner: The Bloody Tour of York

Finalists: Castle Howard, The Deathly Dark Tours, The Cookery School at The Grand, York,

Event of the Year – Sponsored by Rugby League World Cup
Winner: York Maze

Highly Commended: That JORVIK Viking Thing

Finalists: The Great Ryedale Maze, York Balloon Fiesta

Large Hotel of the Year – Sponsored by Streamline Taxis

Winner: The Grand, York

Highly Commended: Sandburn Hall Hotel

Finalists: Hotel Indigo York, Middletons Hotel, The Principal York

Large Visitor Attraction of the Year – Sponsored by YO1 Radio
Winner: JORVIK Viking Centre

Finalists: The York Dungeon, York Art Gallery, York’s Chocolate Story

New Tourism Business of the Year – Sponsored by City Cruises
Winner: The Deathly Dark Tours

Finalists: Malmaison York, Sandburn Hall Hotel, York Riverside Apartments

Pub of the Year – Sponsored by Hunter Gee Holroyd
Winner: The Drovers Arms Restaurant & Country Pub

Finalists: House of Trembling Madness Lendal, House of Trembling Madness Stonegate

Self Catering Accommodation of the Year – Sponsored by Clarion Housing

Winner: Heritage Escapes (York)

Finalists: Roomzzz Aparthotels – York City, Staycity Aparthotels, The Enchantment Chamber, The Riverside York (Finalist)

Resilience and Innovation Award – Sponsored by Fabler & Co

Winner: The Web Adventure Park

Finalists: The Deathly Dark Tours, The Drovers Arms Restaurant & Country Pub, The North Yorkshire Moors Railway, The Web Adventure Park, Trembling Madness Ltd, York Gin

Shop Experience of the Year* – Sponsored by Fidomoney
Winner: York Gin

Finalists: The Antiques Centre York, York’s Chocolate Story

Small Hotel of the Year – Sponsored by Hospitality Staffing
Winner: Grays Court Hotel & The Bow Room Restaurant

Finalists: Galtres Lodge, The Judge’s Lodging

Small Visitor Attraction of the Year – Sponsored by Fowlers of York

Winner: Mother Shipton’s

Finalists: Fairfax House, York Army Museum

Taste of England Award – Sponsored by The York Roast Co.
Winner: The Bow Room Restaurant at Grays Court Hotel

Finalists: Forest at Galtres Lodge, Mr Chippy York, Plush Café, The Drovers Arms Restaurant & Country Pub

Unsung Hero Award - Sponsored by LNER

Winner: Adam Wardale, General Manager at Middletons Hotel

Finalists: Frank Caulfield, Porter at Dean Court Hotel and Norbert Lawrie, Kitchen Porter at Galtres Lodge

York Sculpture Trail Character Commission

Culture, Events, Make It York News, Uncategorized / By Make It York

Make It York is looking for visual artists, designers and illustrators to create a unique character or creature, bespoke to the city, that will be transformed into 3D, larger than life sculpture models as part of a family-friendly city-wide trail in 2023.

Submit your design using this form on the Make It York website by 12 noon on 14 October 2022.

Sculpture Trail Background

The 2023 sculpture trail will see 25/30 large scale sculptures strategically placed around the city to form a vibrant and bold family friendly trail of characters or creatures. Each sculpture model will be customised by being decorated with unique designs (through painting, applique, etc.) from Yorkshire-based artists, in response to a set overarching theme.

It is expected the sculptures will remain in situ for a period of four months and will be complimented with a programme of workshops, talks and demonstrations from our commissioned artists.

While this trail model has been seen widely across the country, taking the form of animals and other shapes in a multitude of formats, we’re looking to create something bespoke for the city – creating our own story and narrative for residents and visitors of York to explore.

About the Character Commission

We’re looking to commission an artist to design a character or creature that represents the city, something new and something different, that we will then turn into the sculpture model for the trail. Not only that, we’re interested in the narrative and why artists have chosen to create this particular design.

Perhaps the character plays on the heritage of York, a concept that is unearthed or has been missed from the city achieves, even a myth brought to life. Maybe this character or creature has found itself misplaced in the city, maybe it’s a fantastical never-seen-before animal, or perhaps it’s another construct entirely.

We are keeping the commission as open as possible to allow artists freedom of interpretation to create this character however, the trail will be family friendly and submitted designs must take that into consideration.

Practically, the selected design will be cast and transformed into a 5/6ft tall sculpture and therefore cannot be overly complex and highly detailed. Once produced the blank sculptures will be brought to life with different artist designs, meaning the shape of the character is key as this will be the defining element across the trail.

Another consideration is to keep designs as contained as possible, loose aspects to the character increase the likelihood of damage to the sculptures once they are in situ. Keeping the sculpture as solid and contained as possible reduces the risk of damage. For example, a long upward tail of a cat would be more prone to damage that one wrapped around the cat.

The selected artist will be decided by Make It York. The commissioned artist will be awarded a £1000 commission fee for the design and narrative of the character alongside an additional artistic fee of £1000 to create one of the artistic designs and bring a sculpture to life as part of the trail itself.

Upon commissioning Make It York will work with the artist and the manufacturing company to tweak designs where appropriate for the most suitable replication in a physical format.

Submit your design using this form on the Make It York website by 12 noon on 14 October 2022.

Commission Criteria

Artists may submit a maximum of two entries.
Anyone over the age of sixteen is eligible to submit a design.
Artists should reside in Yorkshire (including all of North, East, South and West)
Designs that do not fit the commission criteria will not be accepted.
Only new designs will be permitted – designs which already exist and have been used in other contexts will not be accepted.
The artist should submit a visual drawn/designed representation of their concept. This should be in PDF or image format.
Artists should also complete the expression of interest form and include details of the character narrative.
Designs should be considered practically based on the shape and elements for large scale reproducing.
The commissioned artist will be required to make tweaks to the design if needed following selection and consultation with the production company.
Entries remain the intellectual property of the artist and will be kept on record for informational purposes only by Make It York. Artists may contact the company to request their design be removed from records.
The selected artists commission fee includes a buyout fee of £1000 of the intellectual property of the design, which will become the property of Make It York, who will have sole right to replicate the design for the production of the trail and potential commercial opportunities to run alongside. The artist will not receive a share of sales.
An additional £1000 artistic fee will be awarded to the selected artist to create a design on one of the sculptures as part of the trail.
Decisions will be made in October 2022, with the winner being notified on or before 4th November 2022.
The decision of Make It York on the outcome of the commission is final, although we are happy to provide feedback to unsuccessful applicants.

Cultural Wellbeing Grant Supports Artery for Health

Case Studies, Culture and Wellbeing / By Make It York

As part of York’s Culture Strategy, Make It York, York CVS, and City of York Council have come together to award funding of more than £60,000 to nineteen social and cultural initiatives across the city – with the aim of easing loneliness, isolation, and mental ill-health across the city.

The grants, which were made available via the Better Care Fund and Ways to Wellbeing, were set up in recognition of the impact the coronavirus pandemic has had on people’s wellbeing – through shielding, self-isolation, and social distancing. This series of case studies profiles each of the 2021 recipients:

One of the projects supported by the grants was Artery for Health. Developed by heritage and cultural learning consultant Karen Merrifield and the Arts team at York Hospital, to create a proof of concept model to improve connections between healthcare providers, artists and cultural organisations in the city.

Two recent evaluations of arts interventions at York Hospital revealed healthcare staff and artists welcomed arts intervention with treatment, however, a better understanding of how healthcare professionals work with patients and what artists and cultural organisations can offer patients would be beneficial. Artists raised several areas where they need clarity and support. These include:

The needs of the patient
Expectation around arts and arts therapy
If/How their arts practice complements the work of therapists working on the ward
Delivery of sessions including preparation, timing, setting, delivery – one to one or performance-based session, choice of and place for music, infection control.

The Cultural Wellbeing Grant allowed Artery for Health to work with Allied Health Professionals to answer these questions. This included largely physiotherapists and occupational therapists who work with patients either as they move from being in-patients to out-patients, or those working with patients with chronic conditions. This focused on those specialising in chronic pain, stroke/neurological conditions and pulmonary conditions.

The first key finding was that healthcare professionals’ roles have changed hugely due to the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic. COVID 19 means staff are facing unprecedented challenges, including:

Staff burn out and fatigue
Staff shortages
Changes in practice with many clinics moving to video or telephone consultation
Relocation of services due to infection control. For example, Stroke Rehab has moved from Scarborough Hospital to Bridlington
Patients in individual wards to minimise the risk of infection but this leads to a lack of social interaction which can affect recovery
Strict control over who can go onto a ward. With restrictions on family and friends
Through COVID 19 it has not been possible to offer arts interventions in the hospital.

These findings show that old ways of working in the NHS are gone however this provides a timely opportunity to explore how to work more closely with arts and culture.

Artery for Health ran workshops in the autumn, bringing cultural organisations, artists and healthcare professionals together to explore further how to work together, offering local artists opportunities to join existing educational programmes by Allied Health Professionals. These conversations were shared with the Northern Powerhouse group of arts teams in hospitals and there is a strong interest in taking this model forward.

The next steps are pilot projects around:

Stepping-stone

Artist taster sessions informed by patients and AHPs to support meaningful and purposeful activity, relating arts to existing education or treatment programmes. These are designed to support patients with chronic and respiratory conditions to self-management.

Community Culture Club

A carousel of activities from cultural partners for long covid, chronic pain, pulmonary, neurology and stroke patient groups, social groups and AHPs e.g., the National Railway Museum.

Art Residencies

Artist in residence, working across the Trust to improve communication for patients and staff, on a staff-led project.

Embedding learning

Co-ordinate a joint learning day with York St. John University, where OTs students, hospital staff and academic staff explore how arts and culture can support their health and wellbeing.

Additional opportunities with York St John University include:

Research project for third year students (Students decide on research projects in Year 2 e.g., Dance with patients on the Dementia ward, lockdown projects – arts to support wellbeing)
Work placements for students or OTs e.g., museum or other cultural venues

The Artery for Health project has also recently been awarded grant funding from the 2022 Cultural Wellbeing Grants, which will help in creating these pilot projects and continuing the work in bringing arts interventions to York Hospital.

Cultural Wellbeing Grant Supports Thunk-It Theatre

Case Studies, Culture and Wellbeing / By Make It York

One of the projects which has been supported by the grants was Thunk-It Theatre’s ‘Common Ground: Back in the Room’ – a project which aimed to highlight shared experiences felt during Covid and build long-term, meaningful relationships to combat loneliness.

The project aimed to engage with participants aged 16-25 and 50+ in The Groves area who had been affected by isolation and loneliness, particularly those who were isolated due to physical, financial or social barriers.

The project included 9 workshops that explored creative communications such as letter writing, origami, and postcard creation, all facilitated by industry leaders with experience of delivering successful intergenerational work. This then formed an exhibition, held at Door 84, for friends, family and the Groves community to see, enjoy and celebrate.

During the workshops, tools were used to encourage communication between participants, allowing them to reflect on the impact of Covid but also to look forward to the future together, through a shared piece of art and ownership.

338 people engaged across the different activities, with one participant saying, “I had great fun each week, the activities were all interesting and engaging and I always had a great cup of tea. The sessions were always a highlight of my week, it was great to get out the house to meet people and get involved!”

The team at Thunk-It Theatre said: ‘During the various lockdowns, we developed a number of virtual community projects which although successful, had one thing missing – face-to-face connection. With the funding from Culture and Wellbeing York & Ways to Wellbeing we were able to bring the successful virtual project ‘Common Ground’ to Door 84 in The Groves. Over a period of four months, we ran creative workshops for people aged 16-25, 50+, and workshops for anyone of either age to join. These sessions culminated in a pulling together of the work created as an exhibition, held at Door 84 for friends, family, and the Groves community to come see, enjoy, and celebrate.

This project showcased the importance of face-to-face connection and creative spaces. The funding enabled us to facilitate a safe and successful project for community members in The Groves. Thank you.’

The Queen’s Baton Relay visits York

Make It York News / By Make It York

The Queen’s Baton Relay visited York on Wednesday 13th July ahead of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

Birmingham 2022 is staging the 16th official Queen’s Baton Relay – an epic journey across the Commonwealth, with The Queen’s Baton visiting all 72 nations and territories.

York’s Batonbearers Zoe Barratt, William Kilgannon, Colin Lea and Max May completed their relay around part of the bar walls and around York Minster. The baton then travelled to Batonbearer Lucy Hadaway at York St John’s Haxby Road campus, where 600 school children from 20 primary schools in York were able to see the baton up close.

Make It York’s Managing Director, Sarah Loftus, completed her stint of the relay this morning in Hull before supporting fellow Batonbearers in York. Sarah Loftus said: “It has been a huge honour to carry the baton today and to share this experience with York’s inspiring Batonbearers, as the relay continues its journey through England. It’s been amazing to see our community experience the buzz of the Queen’s Baton Relay and build up the excitement for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games”

Cllr Darryl Smalley, Executive Member for Culture, Leisure and Communities at City of York Council, said: “Welcoming the Queen’s Baton Relay to York in this, the Platinum Jubilee year and ahead of the Commonwealth Games, is an honour. Thank you to the Batonbearers who represented the city.

“The Baton has visited many hundreds of cities and towns across the world already. Seeing it being carried along our iconic city walls and around the Minster reminds us of our connection to the Commonwealth, so thank you to everyone involved.”

For more information, please contact comms@makeityork.com

Max May, Zoe Barratt, William Kilgannon, Colin Lea and Sarah Loftus. Photo credit: Make It York.

St Nicholas Fair 30th Anniversary Bauble Design Competition

Culture, Make It York News, St Nicholas Fair / By Make It York

APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED

Make It York are calling out for visual artists, print makers, and designers to create a bespoke bauble design to celebrate the 30^th anniversary of York’s St Nicholas Fair.

A staple in York’s streets over the festive period since 1992, the St Nicholas Fair Christmas Market will this year feature a special limited run of porcelain baubles that celebrate this exciting milestone. Profits from the bauble sales will be used to create a new cultural fund, York Creates, to provide future small-seed funding for artists and makers in the city.

About St Nicholas Fair

Rated in the top ten Christmas Markets in the UK, the five-week St Nicholas Fair features over sixty alpine chalets lining the streets of Parliament Street and St Sampsons Square, with local businesses selling everything from handmade gifts to delicious treats. The fair is the heart of the city’s Christmas experience and contributes to York ranking in the UK’s top ten Christmas destinations.

Find out more about Christmas in York here.

About the Competition

The theme for the design is: A York Christmas

Artists should produce a design around this theme for the bauble, which can be traditional, contemporary or give a fresh interpretation to a York Christmas.

Artists should produce a design using the guidelines provided and give a short explanation of their design. The bauble can accommodate three images of 40 x 40mm. These images can either be identical or different, depending on artist preference. However, one (or all) of these image squares should either be or include the word ‘York’, or some variation around a Christmas greeting (e.g., ‘Merry Christmas from York’).

Designs should be high quality and appeal to a range of customers, both local and visitors. The design should be suitable for use set against the white background of the bauble. The brief is open to interpretation on design style. Download instructions here for design specifications.

The winner will be decided by Make It York. The winner will be awarded a £500 cash prize and be included in promotional activity. A limited run of baubles will be produced and sold through Make It York as part of the 2022 St Nicholas Fair.

Enter the competition by 12 noon on 12 August 2022. APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED

For more information or to ask a question, contact culture@makeityork.com.

Competition Rules

Artists may submit a maximum of two entries.
Anyone over the age of sixteen is eligible to enter the competition. Artists should reside in York, or have a strong local connection.
Designs that do not fit the specifications provided will not be accepted. Read specifications here.
Only new designs will be permitted – designs which already exist and have been used in other contexts will not be accepted.
The artist should submit a visual design for a bauble which will be manufactured professionally. Artists are not expected the manufacture the baubles themselves.
Entries from members of Make It York staff, Visit York staff and volunteers, and close family of these is not permitted.
Entries remain the intellectual property of the artist and after the competition, will be kept on record for informational purposes only by Make It York. Artists may contact the company to request their design be removed from records.
The winning artist’s prize includes a buyout fee of £500 of the intellectual property of the design, which will become the property of Make It York, who will have sole right to merchandise the baubles. The artist will not receive a share of sales. All profits will be ringfenced for the new York Creates cultural seed fund.
Decisions will be made in August 2022, with the winner being notified on or before 19 August 2022.
The decision of Make It York on the outcome of the competition is final, although we are happy to provide feedback to unsuccessful applicants.

Applications open for Visit York Tourism Awards 2023

Culture, Events, Make It York News / By Make It York

Entries are now open for the prestigious Visit York Tourism Awards 2023, sponsored by LNER, which recognise, congratulate and celebrate outstanding businesses and individuals that deliver a world-class experience for visitors to the city.

The last Visit York Tourism Awards 2022 took place earlier this year in March, where 15 of York’s top tourism businesses celebrated a win at the ceremony at York Racecourse. Winners of eligible categories were put forward to the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence, with Middletons Hotel’s Adam Wardale going on to win the national Unsung Hero award.

Returning on 23^rd March 2023 at York Racecourse for a black-tie ceremony and an evening of entertainment, there will be 16 Visit York Tourism Awards up for grabs including:

B&B and Guest House of the Year
Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the Year
Cultural Venue of the Year* sponsored by Clarion Housing Group
Ethical, Responsible & Sustainable Tourism Award sponsored by The Fabl
Event or Festival the Year* sponsored by LNER
Experience of the Year sponsored by Destination Core
Large Attraction of the Year
Large Hotel of the Year sponsored by Streamline Taxis
New Tourism Business of the Year
Pub of the Year sponsored by Hunter Gee Holroyd
Resilience & Innovation Award sponsored by York St John University
Retailer of the Year* sponsored by Fidomoney
Self Catering Accommodation of the Year
Small Attraction of the Year
Small Hotel of the Year
Taste of England Award sponsored by Fowlers of York

There are two new categories introduced for the 2023 awards, ‘Cultural Venue of the Year’ and ‘Ethical, Responsible & Sustainable Tourism Award’.

From hotels to restaurants, pubs to visitor attractions; businesses and cultural organisations across the city are being urged to enter – with the deadline of Friday 26^th August to submit their winning entries online at www.visityork.org/awards. The awards are free to enter for Visit York members and £150+VAT for non-members.

Once all the entries are in, a panel of independent judges will decide on the final shortlist and winners through a mix of mystery shopping and rigorous analysis against the entry criteria. Businesses can check the eligibility criteria and enter the Visit York Tourism Awards online at www.visityork.org/awards.

Sarah Loftus, Managing Director at Make It York, said: “The Visit York Tourism Awards celebrate the very best in tourism, hospitality and culture in our city and surrounding areas. For many years, winning these awards have had huge benefits for businesses both regionally and nationally, with many awards being automatically put forward for the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence. This year, following his win at the Visit York Tourism Awards 2022, Middletons Hotel’s Adam Wardale went on to win Unsung Hero at the Visit England Awards for Excellence.

With 16 opportunities to take home an award in 2023, as well as the introduction of two new categories, businesses have until 26^th August to get their entries in!”

Councillor Darryl Smalley, Executive Member for Culture, Leisure and Communities at City of York Council, said: “York’s tourism industry plays a major role in our city’s economy and culture, with a vibrant offering, which sets us apart from other cities. There are many excellent local businesses and organisations who make our city world-renowned to millions of visitors every year and . The Tourism Awards are a great way to celebrate their wonderful work and the contribution they make to our great city. I would encourage all across the industry to apply to ensure their efforts can be rightly recognised.”

*Visit York only. These categories are not eligible to go forward to the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence.

ENDS

For more information:

Sarah Foster and Brittany Guymer

Communications team at Make It York

Comms@makeityork.com

Notes to Editors:

Applications for the Visit York Tourism Awards 2023 are open until 5pm, Friday 26^th August. Finalists will be announced in the Autumn, ahead of the awards ceremony at York Racecourse on Thursday 23^rd March 2023.

About Make It York

Visit York is a part of Make It York and is the leisure tourism brand

Under the brand Visit York, Make It York’s aim is to market York as a must-see world-class destination to the leisure visitor and ensure investment to develop the quality of tourism in York.

York Ice Trail 2023: Date and Theme Announced

Events, Make It York News / By Make It York

York Ice Trail organisers, Make It York, are pleased to announce that plans are underway for the family-favourite event to return to the city in February 2023.

The theme for York Ice Trail 2023 will invite people to time travel to prehistoric ages, walk through history and step into the future for ‘A Journey Through Time’.

The last York Ice Trail took place in March 2022 and was a huge success, following a one-year hiatus due to the pandemic. Over 40 ice sculptures lined the streets of York over the weekend, with an estimated 25,000 people participating in the trail. Research commissioned with Qa Research showed that 94% of participants would recommend the trail to family and friends.*

The free trail also had a positive impact on businesses in the city, with 81% of participants eating out or drinking in the city’s restaurants, cafes and bars. Plus, more than 50% were likely to go shopping or visit an attraction.

Post-pandemic, York Ice Trail appealed to more residents than pre-pandemic in 2020. The proportion of residents visiting York Ice Trail in 2022 increased to 39%, compared with 23% in February 2020.

York Ice Trail 2023 will once again see the ‘coolest’ sculptures around the city, all sponsored and concepted by local businesses. UK and Europe’s leading ice specialists, Icebox will design and create all the sculptures for the 2023 trail for the second year.

Sarah Loftus, Managing Director at Make It York, said: “York Ice Trail is one of the best-loved events in the city and we’re so excited to planning our next trail in February 2023. It’s a huge celebration of our city and a great opportunity for businesses to come together to support. The concept for next year’s trail will inspire the imagination with ‘A Journey Through Time’, transporting visitors across time and dimension!”

Greg Pittard, Managing Director at Icebox, said: “We are thrilled to be returning to York for the second year in a row as the sculptors for the 2023 Ice Trail! The York Ice Trail is by far one of the ‘coolest’ events we have been a part of, and we have a busy few months in the freezer ahead as we begin carving for this year’s theme. Thank you to Make It York and all the amazing businesses across the city for trusting us and making this event possible!”

For more information, visit York Ice Trail | Visit York #YorkIceTrail

*Research based on a survey of 393 visitors

ENDS

For more information, please contact:

Sarah Foster, Communications Manager at Make It York

Comms@makeityork.com

Notes to Editors

York Ice Trail 2023 will return on 4th and 5^th February. York Ice Trail is a Make It York event.

About Make It York

Make It York’s purpose is to develop and promote the city and its surroundings – nationally and internationally – as a vibrant and attractive place to live, visit, study, work and do business. Its mission is to grow the economic prosperity and wider wellbeing of York and its citizens. In practice, this means delivering a range of projects and programmes based around our corporate strategic priorities.

These are:

City positioning and profile-raising
Ensuring an exciting city centre
Delivering the city’s ground-breaking Cultural Strategy

York’s Unsung Hero wins at national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence

Events, Make It York News / By Make It York

Adam Wardale, General Manager at Middletons Hotel in York, won the Unsung Hero award at the tourism industry’s annual national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence in Birmingham.

Following Adam’s win for Unsung Hero at this year’s Visit York Tourism Awards in March, he was put forward for consideration in the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence and was shortlisted as a finalist alongside Neeshal Jeewon and Clive Goodwin.

The Unsung Hero Award is a new award for 2022, which recognises an individual working for a tourism business who excels in their role and deserves to be applauded for their work and commitment to the industry. Upon winning the Visit York Tourism Award in March, judges commented that “Adam Wardale at Middletons is a very deserving winner. As well as being instrumental in transforming the hotel into a luxury destination, he has undertaken a number of initiatives to benefit the community such as his work with local prisoners. He is inspiring and a credit to York.”

Adam celebrated his win at the national awards ceremony last night, 8 June, at the Library of Birmingham, where Gold, Silver and Bronze winners were announced by broadcaster and author Clare Balding.

The prestigious VisitEngland Awards for Excellence have been running for more than 30 years, celebrating and championing innovation, quality and best practice across the industry recognising businesses and individuals who raise the bar of England’s tourism offer.

The full list of winners for the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence can be found here.

Adam Wardale, General Manager at Middletons Hotel and winner of the Unsung Hero Award, said: “It was both an honour and a privilege to be nominated, yet alone to win, the prestigious Unsung Hero Award at both the Visit York and VisitEngland awards. On both a professional and personal level, I am incredibly proud to have been able to represent Middletons Hotel and York – a wonderful city that has such as diverse tourism offering. Over the past few years, the Middletons’ team has worked incredibly hard to develop the hotel and offer guests a first-class experience. We’re also extremely proud to be able to give back to the York community by forging strong partnerships with local institutions such as HMP Askham Grange women’s prison. This has always been a personal passion of mine and I’m determined that we will continue to support local schools, colleges and universities to promote and champion hospitality as a viable career.”

Sarah Loftus, Managing Director at Make It York, said: “A huge congratulations to Adam for his well-deserved win at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence! We’re incredibly grateful for all the hard work that Adam has put into our city and for always going above and beyond, both for our visitors and in our communities. A huge congratulations again to Adam and we’re so proud that he’s brought this national accolade home to York.”

Tourism Minister Nigel Huddleston said: “Our superb tourism businesses offer something for everyone and the sector is one we can be proud of. It is fantastic to see so many hardworking businesses of all sizes recognised for their gold-standard contribution to English tourism and I congratulate all the winners.”

Nick de Bois, Advisory Board Chair at VisitEngland, said: “It is wonderful to see the Awards event back in-person, giving us the opportunity to come together, celebrate and congratulate the best-of-the-best across England’s world-class tourism industry.

“From an accessible and inclusive sailing school to a family run rural glamping site and an immersive living museum, these awards highlight the outstanding quality, the innovation and the customer service excellence across our industry. All these businesses are winners in every sense.

“Millions of jobs and local economies depend on tourism and this year’s awards also highlight the dedication of tourism businesses as they rebuild, championing best practice and providing visitors with first-class experiences.”

ENDS

For further information please contact:

Sarah Foster, Communications Manager at Make It York

Email: comms@makeityork.com

Notes to editors:

This year’s national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence aligned with 14 local competitions, which ran across England, with winners automatically entered into the national awards.
For more information about the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence – see www.VisitEnglandAwards.org
The VisitEngland Awards for Excellence has been accredited with the Awards Trust Mark. The Awards Trust Mark scheme, run by The Independent Awards Standards Council, enhances trust between those entering awards schemes, and the organisations running them. For more information about the Awards Trust Mark see – https://awardstrustmark.org/

For information about the Caravan and Motorhome Club see – http://www.camc.com/
For information about Barclays see– https://www.barclayscorporate.com/
For information about Sykes Holiday Cottages see – https://www.sykescottages.co.uk/
For information about the Family Holiday Charity see – https://familyholidaycharity.org.uk/
VisitBritain’s research shows that films and TV are powerful motivators for travel. With almost a third of potential visitors keen to visit places seen-on-screen, film tourism continues to be an exciting, growing and valuable part of England’s tourism offer.

TXGB (Tourism Exchange Great Britain) is a business to business platform connecting tourism suppliers to a diverse range of domestic and international distributors.
For images of the individual VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2022 winners contact Thomas.Clues@visitbritain.org

About Make It York

Make It York

Visit York is a part of Make It York and is the leisure tourism brand.

Under the brand Visit York, Make It York’s aim is to market York as a must-see world-class destination to the leisure visitor and ensure investment to develop the quality of tourism in York.

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