MONKEY sculptures which currently on display in a trail across a coastal town are being auctioned to raise funds for charity as part of the grand finale of the 2021 Northern Festival of Illustration.

The auction of the distinctive artworks that were decorated by community groups as part of the festival will take place at the newly refurbished Elephant Rock Arena on Hartlepool's Headland on Sunday, November 28 at 4:30pm.

Gary Philipson from BBC Radio Tees will host the event and the money raised will be donated to Hartlepool Carers.

On Saturday and Sunday, November 27 and 28 people can see all the monkeys displayed together in St Hilda’s Church on the Headland before they make their way to the arena for the auction.

The festival’s finale links in with the Wintertide Festival taking place on the headland the same weekend, which is organised by BloominArt CIC who worked to help the community of Hartlepool to decorate the Monkeys.

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The Northern Festival of Illustration Director and Vice Principal of The Northern School of Art, Pat Chapman, said: “Over the summer it was great to see families and groups having such fun decorating the monkeys. It has been great to see people following the monkey trail, searching them out.

"We know that people have visited Hartlepool especially to see the sculptures which is great, after all our aims were to give our local community some fun and to get people back into our local businesses.

“Hartlepool Carers is such a fabulous and important local charity so I hope the auction raises a lot of cash for them!”

Entry to the auction is free.

Pre-event bidding will be available via the festival’s online auction site at: biddingowl.com/hartlepoolmonkey

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