A controversial deckchair trail celebrating Scarborough’s 400th anniversary as the original seaside resort cost North Yorkshire Council £11,688, a Freedom of Information (FOI) request has revealed.
This summer, dozens of artists and residents in Scarborough said they were “deeply disappointed” by the authority’s decision to use artificial intelligence (AI) to create the designs on the Giant Deckchair Trail.
The council said the 10 deckchairs which were dotted across the seafront, heritage spots, and attractions as part of a walking trail, had made a “positive contribution to the Scarborough 400 programme”.
Adrian Riley, a Scarborough-based artist who designed the mural on the side of the Central Tramway Station and on the front of the town’s railway station, described the design as “AI slop”.
He said: “We’re a tourism destination and an important part of that is people visiting for culture.
“You can get AI anywhere in the world, but you can only visit the workshops, galleries, exhibitions, and studios of many local artists by actually being here in Scarborough.”
Tony Watson, North Yorkshire Council’s head of economy and tourism, said the Scarborough 400 Deckchair Trail had been a successful part of the town’s 400th anniversary celebrations, providing a “free, family-friendly attraction that encouraged residents and visitors to explore different areas of Scarborough throughout the summer”.
He added: “The trail generated more than 14,000 QR code scans, with overall engagement believed to be significantly higher, and attracted positive feedback from participants and host venues as well as considerable social media interest.
“Local agencies and artists were invited to submit proposals before a North Yorkshire-based design company was appointed to deliver the trail.”
However, North Yorkshire Council refused to disclose how much the commissioning of the work had cost and what agency had carried out the design work, in response to the FOI request submitted by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).
The authority told the LDRS that due to the “significant media attention and substantial hostile online commentary on this topic, the suppliers have made representations to the council that disclosure of its identity in connection with the current controversy would be likely to result in significant commercial prejudice and adversely affect future commercial business opportunities”.
The council added that it sought out several quotes for the project although “the cost of the design was below the procurement threshold that requires three quotations”.
It said that two North Yorkshire-based design agencies and two artists were selected following officer research on their suitability, and three proposals were received in response “with one agency selected upon review of the proposals”.
When the deckchair trail was revealed this summer, 25-year-old artist and illustrator Hannah Grahamslaw, who produces Scarborough-themed artwork, said: “It’s not just the impact on my own employment that offends me; my concerns are mainly that all AI ‘art’ is stolen from artwork created by real artists.
“It is also damaging to the environment, it takes jobs from artists, without whom North Yorkshire would be an extremely dull and grey place, and it is so ugly in terms of generic art style that it makes me feel a bit sick.”
Mr Watson said the authority had held constructive discussions with local artists who expressed concerns about the role of AI in the design process.
“While we believe its use was justified in this instance, we will continue to consider such technology on a case-by-case basis,” he told the LDRS.
Mr Watson added: “We are continuing to evaluate the trail, but early indications suggest it has made a positive contribution to the Scarborough 400 programme.
“We will explore how similar initiatives could support future visitor engagement while continuing to work closely with the local creative sector as part of our wider commitment to supporting Scarborough, its residents, businesses and visitor economy.”
By: Anttoni James Numminen, LDRS
