Three maritime characters from Hull are going Dutch in the hope of putting the city on the international map in a contest to find the world’s best Living Statues.
‘Three in a Boat’ features three characters performing as ‘living statues’ and created to promote Hull Maritime, a £30.3m, four-year project to transform the city’s maritime treasures across five sites and two historic ships.
The three characters – representing some of the seafaring industries that shaped the city over the centuries – have already proved a hit in their home city, helping to raise awareness of the scheme, which will ultimately create a new route to guide visitors through the city, highlighting its outstanding maritime heritage.
Now, the trio are set to compete against stiff competition from across the world in the World Living Statues Festival’s World Championship on 16 October 2022 in Alkmaar, Netherlands.
Andy Train, better known for his living statue alter ego “The Gold Man”, will be performing as ‘The Docker’ alongside his friends from Giddy Kipper Arts, Arabella Murray-Nag and Thomas Stee who are ‘The Trawlerman’ and ‘The Whaler’ respectively.
All three are experienced living statue performers, and originally formed their act ‘Three in a Boat’ in homage to the proud history of Hull, Yorkshire’s only maritime city.
Paying tribute to the industries that played a major part in Hull’s history as a maritime city, as well as the many generations that have worked in some of those industries, the trio have brought their living statues to life at recent Maritime City events, Hull Kraken and The Awakening.
Hull Maritime – funded by Hull City Council and The National Lottery Heritage Fund – aims to make Hull’s 800 years of seafaring history even more of a key part of the city’s tourism offer.
Once completed, which is expected to be early 2025, Hull will give visitors a chance to chart a course through the city’s history, exploring its connections and contributions to the UK and the world.
The project includes the restoration of two of the city’s historic ships, the Spurn Lightship, which will return to its temporary location on Hull Marina, whilst works for its permanent berth are completed, and the Arctic Corsair, which is expected to set sail for the last time to her final berth at the North End Shipyard in early 2023.
Among other new-look attractions will be Hull’s popular Maritime Museum, which closed its doors in 2019 for a £12m refurbishment.
As the transformation continues over the next few years, there are still opportunities to share in its rich maritime history and seafaring links at special events, exhibitions and guided maritime history tours.
For more information visit maritimehull.co.uk or follow @Hullmaritime on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
For more information on the World Living Statues Festival and the World Championship visit www.worldlivingstatues.com
For all other tourism information about Hull, see www.visithull.org
Photo: Jason Shipley