ONE of the biggest names in British animation gave a lecture in York yesterday, as part of the 2017 Festival Of Ideas.

Peter Lord CBE is the co-founder of Aardman Animation, which created Morph, Wallace & Gromit, Shaun The Sheep, and Creature Comforts.

The former University of York graduate was back in the city yesterday as part of the Festival Of Ideas, and last night gave a talk at Bootham School, discussing his career in animation and filmmaking.

York Press:

Mr Lord said he was happy to return to his former place of education, especially for the Festival.

He said: “The Festival of Ideas is such a great concept – to celebrate ideas. I think it’s really healthy to have all different branches of life coming together and I’m delighted to be here talking about my career in the arts. I hope it encourages people.

“It’s wonderful to be back in York. I left in 1976, and it’s always a surprise to me every time I’m back. It’s changed a lot and I feel very warmly towards the University - I had a great time here. When I came to York I had no idea what I was going to do afterwards, and I approached University with a spirit of enthusiasm to learn and an optimistic belief that something good would turn up. And it did, so I’m still a big fan of that way of thinking.”

Mr Lord took time to pay tribute to actor Peter Sallis, who voiced Wallace for each of the studio’s films - which were directed by Nick Park - and whose death at the age of 96 was announced this week.

He said: “Peter was very generous with his time. He was charming and gentlemanly, with a mischievous spark of humour.

“It feels like the end of an era. Peter has been around since we started - he did the voice recording for Wallace when Nick was still a student at film school. He was very generous with his time, he loved helping out a student and did the job with great tolerance and good humour.”

Mr Lord said inspiring young minds and the arts were “profoundly important at all levels, from great big productions to small theatrical endeavours”, and he hoped funding would continue for them.

He said: “They are important in themselves, full stop. For me, it makes for a good society to have a healthy arts scene.

“In this country, we are also very successful in terms of animation production and cinema, which contributes to the economy. It makes sense to keep encouraging the arts and supporting them – it makes for a civilised society. I know juggling the budget is incredibly difficult, but I will always stand up and loudly shout for the arts.”

The York Festival Of Ideas runs until June 18.