Beach of Dreams

A partner of our Thames Estuary commission, we spoke to T100’s Programme Manager Nicole Artingstall on this year’s Our River theme.

🔗 Read the full interview: www.beachofdreams.org/stories/t100...

Both an annual festival and a free, year-round cultural programme, T100 encourages participants to experience Thurrock and its surrounding areas in new and unexpected ways.

Their Wavemaker Programme is equipping young people aged 16–25 with the knowledge and tools to take action for the ocean, by integrating ocean intelligence into future careers.

Find out more: www.beachofdreams.org/stories/ocea...

At Beach of Dreams, we believe in the power of storytelling and science to inspire change - and Ocean Generation is doing just that 🌍✨

🚀 Gawain Morrison, @playthinkbrink.bsky.social – creative entrepreneur exploring climate solutions
🎭 Jacinta Hamley, Climate Craic – champion of community-led climate action

Chaired by Stephen Beggs, this panel brings together four expert speakers:

🌿 John Barry, @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social – expert in sustainability and just transitions
🌍 James Orr, @friendsofearthni.bsky.social – advocate for environmental justice

How can creativity drive climate action in Belfast? This virtual Beach of Dreams panel will be an inspiring discussion on the city’s dynamic and innovative responses to the climate emergency.

Register your free place: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/belfasts-c...

Wild plants on shingle beach

Starflowers

Dandelions by path

Dandelions and sea kale

Only just a month to go until the @beachofdreams.bsky.social festival!
The wild plants are growing beautifully on the shingle.
Join us @rosy.garlic for a morning of creativity on West Worthing beach. Sat 3rd May - 11am to 1pm.
Tickets are free but please book.
www.eventbrite.com/e/an-art-for...

📆Fri 4 April from 3.30pm at St Peter and St Paul's Church Aldeburgh, Victoria Road Aldeburgh IP15 5DY

🔗Both events are free, but with limited capacity, so be sure to register your place: www.eventbrite.com/e/1306781371...

In Aldeburgh this Friday:
🥾Take part in a creative walk (3:30–5:15pm) with Ali Pretty, Artistic Director of Beach of Dreams.
🎵Join a lyric-writing workshop (5:30–8pm) led by Kirsty Logan, director of Rabble Chorus, and poet Bob Flowerdew.

This new composition will be performed at sunrise on 4th May for International Dawn Chorus Day, against the incredible backdrop of the 800 Beach of Dreams Silks on Aldeburgh Beach, marking the start of an extraordinary month-long journey with Beach of Dreams.

Looking to celebrate the Dawn Chorus next month? Join our in-person lyric writing workshop this Friday, as we begin to create ‘Searching for the Soul of the Sea’ 🌅

The final result? Cyd-Wrando (Listen Together) will be an immersive sound installation, set to transform Colwyn Bay Promenade this May.

Find out more: www.beachofdreams.org/submissions/...

During the day he caught up with TAPE to share progress on how the recordings and music are coming together 🎶 In the evening, Jason used his freshly-captured recordings as part of a special performance at Tape, alongside electronic music group Modulate.

JasonSingh returned to Colwyn Bay last week to capture more recordings for our Wales commission’s soundscape.

📆Join us on Sandhaven Beach on Sunday 11th May as we question ‘What lies beyond the water’s edge?’

www.beachofdreams.org/submissions/...

This sparked lots of discussions within the group, with many people noticing that sections of the coastline were disappearing as a result of coastal erosion.

Stronger Shores’ Emily Ross shared with the group how the North Sea organisation is exploring natural solutions to coastal erosion and their research activities around establishing and re-introducing kelp forests, seagrass meadows and oyster reefs.

Over a two-day creative workshop with The Creative Seed, our commissioned artists for South Tyneside, Tessa Bunney and Stevie Ronnie, guided the group in exploring the power of storytelling, photography, and writing to connect with Sunderland’s coastline. 🌊✨

📣 Beach of Dreams launches nationwide on Saturday 3rd May at Tilbury Cruise Terminal and you’re invited!

📆 Sat 3 May, 1pm – 5pm
🎟️ Free event – sign up: www.beachofdreams.org/submissions/...

🗓️ Threads for Tomorrow, Tue 25 March at 18:00 (GMT)

🔗 Register for this Walk, Listen, Create café: lnkd.in/ekRtvP5U

Threads for Tomorrow Hosted by Ali Pretty, walking artist, community activist and founding artistic director of the 2025 Beach of Dreams coastal art festival that will bring a festival of banner art, sculpture, performanc...

Next week, join walking artist and Beach of Dreams Artistic Director Ali Pretty in a conversation spanning continents, with textile artists Rachna Toshniwal, Elspeth ‘Billie’ Penfold, and Rahemur Rahman as they explore the intersection of art, waste, and environmental storytelling.

Interested in joining? Bring your ideas to the roundtable this week:

🎶🐦 Wednesday 19th March, 3—4pm

🔗 Register your place: www.eventbrite.com/cc/beach-of-...

To mark the beginning of our month-long festival, we’re also inviting choirs, bird watchers and nature lovers to join us on beaches across our coastline for International Dawn Chorus Day on Sunday 4th May, celebrating the beauty of birdsong and the arrival of lighter, brighter days.

Choose the session most convenient for you:

📅 Wednesday 26th March
☀️ Morning Roundtable: 10—11am
🌿 Afternoon Roundtable: 2—3pm
🌙 Evening Roundtable: 6.30—7.30pm

Join our March virtual roundtables to shape your Beach of Dreams event!

We’re hosting three national roundtables this month. Our Artistic Director, Ali Pretty, will be providing updates on the festival and it’s a great opportunity to learn more about being involved.

📸 Credit: Tessa Bunney

Our writer, Kevin Rushby, heads out to Colwyn to survey this soundtrack in progress…

Read ‘Echo Beach’ by Kevin Rushby: lnkd.in/eZziprYZ

Our Wales commission, in collaboration with TAPE Community Music and Film and the Bay of Colwyn Town Council, is uncovering the unheard voices of nature through an immersive soundscape by Jason Singh, Underground Artist Movement and Modulate.

What if we could truly listen to the symphonies our environment is creating minute by minute? How would it connect you to the trees, insects and animals we share our communities with? 🎤🎶

We’re so excited to reveal our final programme for Beach of Dreams – a landmark festival of art, community and climate action 🌊🥾💬

Explore each of our eight commissions, and find out how you can take part in Beach of Dreams this May: www.beachofdreams.org?extra=storie...