The origins of the festival were in the 1950s, spawned from the relationship between the artists resident in Darlington and the local voluntary community fire brigade.
[1] The festival includes an art exhibition in the local historic Darlington Hall and a fair on the adjacent cricket oval.
[3] Many posters, promotional items and catalogues reflect the nature of the community, as well as showcasing some more notable artists and their legacies.
[4][5] Committee membership evolves with the community changes, however one of the longest serving members was Sally Herzfeld.
[7] The 2020 text concentrated on notable public figures, artists and writers associated with Darlington over time including: