The Arts on the Beach festival line-up has been revealed, including music, workshops and talks

The line-up for the Arts on the Beach festival has been revealed, including theatre, music, workshops and talks. This year’s event puts ocean protection in the spotlight.

On June 15 and 16, the free creative family visitor at the Watergate Bay Hotel will see efforts to protect the ocean channeled into an exciting line-up of live theater and music, dance, creative and performance workshops and talks. A sweeping spring tide sets a vast, sandy stage for a free-flowing celebration of all things briny and blue, where amazing talent and artistic creativity ignite curiosity, sparking conversation and action on climate change and plastic pollution.

A highlight of the inaugural 2023 festival, the playful spirit of the ocean Eko (a colossal 13-foot puppet created by Johnny Autin Dance Theater and the star of the company’s Out of the Deep Blue) will weave through the crowds on Sea Lane once again this year.

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Eko’s creator and choreographer Johnny Autin said: “In Out of the Deep Blue, Eko the giant of the sea seeks out a little girl named Violet to tell his stories about the oceans, plastic pollution and the biodiversity crisis. The show’s message is to listen to the natural world to find a way out of the climate crisis.”

Another giant of the deep making its presence felt on land will be an 18-metre inflatable whale guided to shore by the all-female theater group Circo Rum Ba Ba. Crawling on their hands and knees through a small gap in the whale’s side, up to 40 young explorers can fit inside its cavernous belly at a time.

Nestled safely in an enchanting underwater idyll, they will embark on a mission to help a turtle with real skin survive – beautifully crafted by master War Horse puppet maker Jimmy Grimes – learn about the dangers of single-use plastics ongoing.

“We’re trying to make kids feel that small actions can make a big difference,” says Marianne Groves, co-founder of Circo Rum Ba Ba.

Dance duo H&T Creative will share the sandy whale scene to highlight the profound impact of plastic pollution. Expressing the devastating environmental consequences of discarded plastic in a mesmerizing movement stage, the pair will perform their thought-provoking piece No Time to Waste , using ghostly vines of plastic waste as props. This dynamic dance performance sparks conversation, prompting action towards a more sustainable future.

Dancing to the beat of their own drum – or the kitchen sink – “Britain’s greenest junk band” Weapons of Sound will serenade Watergate Bay with their sustainable grooves. With a motley orchestra of instruments made from everything from gas pipes to wheelbarrows, the innovative Plymouth group will trash the funk, bringing the weekend to a raucous finale on Sunday afternoon.

Making art out of waste continues with not one, but two new artist residencies as part of this year’s action. Using the sand as a canvas for their carefully combed beach materials, Beach4Art will create a lobster mural, while artist Georgina Peters will bring her brushes and paint a storm inspired by nature – also inviting beachgoers to collaborate.

Complementing the line-up of performances and bringing the message of marine conservation to life, a series of workshops and creative sessions will invite festival-goers to get involved. Busy hands can help plastic pollution fighters Beach Guardian learn how to create a mermaid tail from repurposed plastic waste.

Also giving plastic collected in the sea a second life, Upcycle Kernow workshops will show children how to turn rubbish into magical sea creature costumes – ready to sport in Sunday’s costume parade, led by a giant lobster lantern made at the weekend with Truro City. of Lights. After taking a breather from the performance of No Time to Waste, dance duo H&T Creative will give youngsters the chance to learn some of the moves in the piece and dive deeper into the topic of plastic pollution.

From baby lobster adoption stories to the power of community beach cleanups, new short talks by Beach Guardian and The National Lobster Hatchery are sure to spark imaginations and stimulate budding conservationists. These two days in June are full of reasons to celebrate, with two national marine awareness days – National Lobster Day, Saturday, June 15, and National Sea Turtle Day, Sunday, June 16 – and Father’s Day, too , on Sunday.

The ever-popular Watergate Bay Beach School will be set up on the foreshore to give kids the chance to do something different with dad – from wild chopping to hammer making.

Helen Bishop, head of sustainability and engagement at the Watergate Bay Hotel, said: “As we continue our B-Corp journey, we are very focused on our sustainability efforts and the impact we make as a business. I’m incredibly proud that this year’s brilliant line-up of Arts on the Beach is using creativity to raise awareness of the threats to the ocean and the urgent need to protect it.

“As well as telling those important stories, this festival is all about community, from supporting local charities and homegrown talent to inviting the local community to enjoy a weekend of amazing free performances, workshops, talks and music.”

For more information, see the online schedule.