THE 2025 CREATIVE PROGRAMME

Beach of Dreams invites you to embark on a transformative journey along the UK’s coastline, where creativity, community, and the environment converge. Our programme unites a diverse network of organisations, artists, and communities in a shared mission to explore and respond to the pressing climate challenges facing the UK’s coastal regions.

Join us as we walk, talk, create, and pledge for the future of our coasts, culminating in a national celebration that will showcase the incredible artworks and stories generated along the way.

Together, we can turn our dreams into action.

 

Julie Brook, Firestack (Scotland, 2016)

COLLABORATING WITH COMMUNITIES TO CREATE NEW COMMISSIONS

We are also proud to be working with our commissioned artists and regional partners, whose works will emerge from deep engagement with local communities, translating coastal climate concerns into powerful artworks. These collaborations are at the heart of our programme, bringing together local voices and artistic vision to create lasting impact.

The Beach of Dreams Silks by Kinetika

REGION: NATIONWIDE

TOURING 1 MAY – 1 JUNE 2025

Where does colour come from?

A national artwork by Kinetika, the Beach of Dreams Silks is a dynamic, traveling installation composed of hundreds of naturally dyed pennants, each representing a personal story that reflects our deep connection to the coast and sea. This evolving tapestry weaves together a rich narrative of hope and inspiration for our shared future.

As visitors experience the installation along its journey up and down the coastline, they will witness a celebration of the diverse voices of those who have contributed. To date, over 600 pennants have been created, each showcasing the profound bonds people have with their coastal environments and inviting audiences to engage with the stories that shape our collective identity.

 

THREADS FOR TOMORROW, Rahemur Rahman

REGION: Thurrock and the Thames Estuary

WITH T100 Festival, Estuary Festival and Start Thurrock

3 – 4 MAY 2025

What tales do our waste tell?

This exciting commission revitalises and stitches together the original 500 Beach of Dreams Silks that were damaged in a coastal storm. Renowned designer and textile artist Rahemur Rahman is collaborating with eight local sewing groups to create stunning silk panels using diverse embroidery techniques from around the world. These beautifully crafted panels will adorn processional boat structures and a vibrant carnival costume, becoming the new centrepiece of the Beach of Dreams Silks.

Cyd-Wrando (Listen Together): A dialogue between land and sea, Jason Singh

REGION: The Bay of Colwyn, Wales

With TAPE Community Film and Music & Bay of Colwyn Town Council

10 MAY 2025

What can be revealed if we truly listen?

Join us for an extraordinary auditory experience as sound artist, beatboxer, and DJ Jason Singh partners with TAPE and local community groups to craft a bespoke soundscape for Beach of Dreams. Drawing inspiration from the beauty of seascapes and nature, this immersive project will offer visitors a unique journey through sound. Experience a live multi-channel soundscape, enhanced by Augmented Reality plaques placed throughout the Bay. These interactive elements will provide listeners with captivating binaural recordings and intimate voice notes collected during the project, inviting everyone to connect with the sounds of our environment like never before.

The power of nature: Kelp! Oysters and Seagrass, Tessa Bunney and Saira Niazi

REGION: SOUTH TYNESIDE

With Stronger Shores

11 MAY 2025

What lies beyond the water edge?

Discover the beauty and significance of our coastal ecosystems through the lens of renowned photographer Tessa Bunney and writer and walking artist Saira Niazi, as they team up with Stronger Shores, a DEFRA-funded initiative led by South Tyneside Council. This exciting collaboration will spotlight the hidden habitats beneath the waves—such as seagrass meadows, kelp forests, and oyster reefs—revealing their vital role in reducing erosion, stabilizing shorelines, and supporting local wildlife.

The project will culminate in an inspiring outdoor photography exhibition, showcasing stunning imagery that captures the essence of these underwater worlds. Additionally, a beautifully crafted booklet featuring original writing, poetry, and photography will be co-produced, inviting readers to engage with the coastal narratives that connect us all.

Our Siren Song, Stephen Beggs

REGION: BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND

With Beat Carnival

17 MAY 2025

What does the sea sing to you?

Join actor, writer, theatre director, and producer Stephen Beggs as he collaborates with Beat Carnival to create an unforgettable experience along the Ards Peninsula. This dynamic partnership will engage a diverse array of participants, including arts and community regeneration groups, commercial fishermen, and environmental campaigners. Together, they’ll embark on a vibrant journey filled with coastal walks, oral history sharing, willow and fabric puppet making, natural dyeing, carnival arts, and song workshops.

This creative adventure will weave through the picturesque coastal villages of the Ards Peninsula, culminating in a spectacular parade that celebrates local culture and creativity. Don’t miss the debut performance of the newly crafted Siren Song, an enchanting piece that will resonate with the heart and spirit of the community.

Tide Line, Julie Brook

REGION: FIFE, SCOTLAND

With Fife Coast and Countryside Trust & ArtMovesFife

14 – 24 MAY 2025

When is it that we are in our element?

Experience the beauty of the Fife coastline like never before with artist Julie Brook, who will craft a stunning tidal sculpture using locally sourced materials. Drawing inspiration from her walks along the coast and engaging conversations with residents and fellow artists, Julie’s work will reflect the unique character of this breathtaking landscape.

As part of this initiative, she will lead hands-on workshops with local schools and community groups, fostering creativity and connection among participants. In May 2025, join the Fife Coast and Countryside Trust and project partners for an unforgettable 12-day journey along the picturesque 117-mile Fife Coastal Path.

MORPHOSIS, Cie MOSO

REGION: GREAT YARMOUTH

With Out There Arts

31 MAY 2025

How do temporary, sustainable structures build shared identity and learning?

Join Cie MOSO and Kinetika for an exciting large-scale installation on Great Yarmouth beach, celebrating sustainability through innovative materials. MORPHOSIS, an evolving bamboo structure, invites community members to engage as observers, builders, or climbers. This dynamic installation features The Beach of Dreams Silks, designed with local communities, adding vibrant movement and culminating in a choreographed performance.

 

Collecting Dreams, Shifting Futures, Historic England

REGION: Great Yarmouth, Harwich and Orfordness

With Essex Book Festival & Out There Arts

24 – 31 MAY 2025

What role does the shifting coast play in shaping our collective dreams?

A collaborative story-gathering project that brings together local communities from three key locations along the East Coast: Great Yarmouth, Harwich, and Orford Ness. Through a rich exploration of heritage sites, creativity, and walking, the project delves into both the shared and distinct coastal histories of these areas. With a special emphasis on coastal heritage, the initiative centres on inclusivity, working closely with diverse local communities and groups with access needs.

Dungeness to Bulverhythe, Anders Lustgarten

REGION: HASTINGS

With MSL Projects

1 JUNE 2025

Whose story is it anyway?

Experience the modern-day Canterbury Tales with Anders Lustgarten in MSL Projects’ immersive three-day programme. This innovative project brings the voices of contemporary ‘pilgrims’ from British society in the South East to the forefront, sharing their stories along a captivating journey through Hythe, Rye, Hastings, and Bulverhythe. Audiences will not only witness these tales but will also help shape them, making each performance a unique and collaborative experience.

FINALE EVENT – URBAN FLOW AND SONNET COMMISSION WITH ACTIVATE DORSET

REGION: WEYMOUTH, DORSET

19 – 21 SEPT 2025

 For over 30 years, Activate, have been promoting, supporting and producing some of the most exciting events in the UK bringing performing arts to as many people as possible and giving creatives the support they need to make outstanding work.

PRESENTED BY KINETIKA

Kinetika unites communities through exceptional silk-based designs and public spectacles that inspire social action and enrich local environments. Guided by a vision to pioneer community-driven art and design, we aspire to ignite enduring positive change, cultivate cultural diversity, and empower resilient, sustainable communities worldwide. Our 27 years of experience champions an adaptable and accessible approach to co-creating designs in silk. Our methods engage and empower diverse communities, enhance social cohesion and foster a sense of pride and belonging.

Kinetika with The Thank You Dance at The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Pageant, June 2022 (c) Matt Crossick/PA Wire