On 23 July 2011 at Sewerby Hall and The Spa in Bridlington, local pilots, artists, wildlife experts, sports men and women will celebrate the joys of flight - without leaving the ground.  ‘Wingbeats’ is a project from Imove, part of the Cultural Olympiad and the Legacy Trust UK’s cultural programme for Yorkshire in the lead-up to the London 2012 Games.  ‘Wingbeats’ is designed to encourage visitors and participants to reach for the sky and be inspired by flight whether it is that of the seabirds at RSPB Bempton Cliffs or aeroplanes and their pilots.

Born in Hull, Amy Johnson was the first female pilot to fly alone from Britain to Australia and there is a room dedicated to her at nearby Sewerby Hall.  Inspired by a visit to Sewerby and the coast as kittiwakes called and falcons flew in the air above him, lead artist for Wingbeats and poet Adam Strickson, created ‘Wingbeats’ which involves local school children, amateur and professional singers, musicians, visual artists, dancers and writers.

The Wingbeats Flying Day will see Sewerby Hall open their gates free of charge, with a particular highlight of the day being an aerobatics display by a Tiger Moth bi-plane before potentially landing on the cliff-top, weather permitting. Other events include demonstrations from the Park Rose Bird of Prey Centre; performances from East Riding Youth Dance, Burundi drummers from West Yorkshire, Nafferton Dance and the Flamborough Sword Dancers Junior team.  Also earning their wings will be the East Riding Yorkshire Council Sports & Play team and ceramic artist Gabrielle Naptali who has been working with pupils from Bempton Primary School since March to produce artwork that will be on display.

The evening events switch location to the Spa Gardens in Bridlington with the Flamborough Sword Dancers alongside the Family de Ramos acrobats, originally from Brazil and now based in Sheffield, who will be tumbling and twisting through the air and Impossible Theatre’s LightWeight Globe, a four metre high, fixed, inflated sphere lit with intense translucent colours that cause the structure to glow and pulse and which will project works by East Riding artists involved in Wingbeats.

Visit the Imove website to find out more about the Wingbeats Flying Day.