SHOP OF THE MONTH

Shop at the SJT, Scarborough, North Yorkshire

The Stephen Joseph Theatre is an independent theatre and cinema in the spa town of Scarborough on the Yorkshire coast. Its location is a beautifully restored Art Deco Odeon which houses a cinema and an intimate theatre-in-the-round. Scarborough man Sir Alan Ayckbourn was artistic director at the SJT from 1972-2009 and the majority of his 90 full-length plays – such as The Norman Conquests – have been launched there and continue to be so.

The SJT Shop is an integral part of theatre life and is situated in the foyer. The coastal creative co-operative opened six years ago to showcase and sell the work of over 20 local authors, artists, crafters and artisan makers.

Gifts on sale include poetry books, novels and spoken word recordings as well as photographs, fine art prints, paintings, hats, textiles, candles, chocolates, jewellery and handmade decorative glass and ceramics. The affordable price range starts at £2.20 for a card, rising to around £150 for a framed A3 artwork.

Items with a particular coastal focus include maritimethemed glassware by Carl and Helen Hitchens at Crafty Creations, and dramatic photographs of Scarborough’s seafront by Simon James Smith.

“Most of the makers volunteer to do shifts at the shop so that we can open to customers six days a week,” says SJT supporter Faith Young. “This sense of community helps with the popularity of the shop and we get countless comments about the quality and variety of the work on sale.”

• Find out more at Shop at The SJT on Facebook and @ shopatthesjt on Instagram

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT The shop is housed in a wonderful old Art Deco cinema that hosts lms, plays and other live events; Shop at the SJT is a coastal collective of authors, artisan makers, crafters and artists who live in and around Scarborough; The shop is just a few minutes’ walk from the beach; Framed artworks can be found from £20 upwards.