News

Arts by the Sea will return in September 2026 with a bold new theme, ELEMENTAL, following the successful confirmation of continued investment from Arts Council England.

The award-winning festival, which is the South West’s largest free celebration of arts, culture, people and place, will take place in Bournemouth’s Lower Gardens and Town Centre on Friday 25th and Saturday 26th September 2026, alongside an expanded programme of three Community Festivals across West Howe, Bourne Valley and Townsend. 

Delivered by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council’s Cultural Development Team and supported as part of Arts Council England’s National Portfolio, the 2026 festival marks a confident new chapter for Arts by the Sea, combining national investment with a renewed focus on community engagement, artist development and accessible cultural experiences for all.

The 2026 theme, ELEMENTAL, explores the powerful energies that shape how we live, move and create. Inspired by the spark of electricity, the grounding strength of earth and the renewing flow of water, the theme will animate Bournemouth outdoor performance, sound, movement and participatory experiences. Audiences can expect work that responds to landscape, sustainability and shared civic space, transforming the Town Centre into a dynamic cultural playground while encouraging deeper connections to place and community.

Alongside the main festival weekend, Arts by the Sea will once again extend into local neighbourhoods through its Bitesized Festival days, taking place on Saturday 6th September in West Howe, Sunday 7th September in Bourne Valley and, new for 2026, Saturday 12th September in Townsend. To enable this expanded community reach across the wider BCP area, the main festival will run across two days rather than three, allowing further investment in bringing high-quality arts activity directly into neighbourhoods.

Andrea Francis, Festival Director, said: “ELEMENTAL celebrates the energy that runs through our communities and landscapes. Arts by the Sea transforms public spaces into places of imagination and shared experience. In 2026, we’re inviting artists and audiences to explore bold ideas, fresh perspectives and the forces that connect us, from our coastline and gardens to our neighbourhoods and high streets.”

As part of the 2026 launch, Arts by the Sea has opened two significant artist commissions. The team will soon select their 2026 Artist in Residence, who will design the front cover of the festival’s iconic brochure, with their work featured across print and digital branding, create a new commissioned artwork for the festival site offering a fresh perspective on Bournemouth and deliver workshops within local communities, including at the Bitesized Festival events. 

The Associate Artist scheme offers an emerging performance-maker the opportunity to develop and curate part of the 2026 programme, creating a new outdoor performance work aligned with the ELEMENTAL theme to be presented across the main festival weekend, alongside leading participatory workshops in neighbourhood locations. Designed to support emerging and underrepresented artists and artforms, the scheme provides space, mentoring, funding and the opportunity to reach large public audiences. Applications for the opportunity can be submitted via the Arts by the Sea website, with the deadline at 12 noon on 27th March 2026.

The 2026 festival follows a successful extension-year funding award from Arts Council England. While BCP Council, like many local authorities, continues to operate within a challenging financial climate, it remains committed to supporting the festival through Officer resource, partnership development and sponsorship activity, alongside significant national investment to ensure the festival’s continued delivery.

Cllr Andy Martin, Portfolio Holder for Culture, Customer and Communication at BCP Council, said: “Arts by the Sea continues to be a cornerstone of our cultural calendar, bringing people together in the heart of Bournemouth and across our neighbourhoods. The 2026 festival promises another inspiring programme and these open calls are a vital part of giving artists the opportunity to leave a lasting mark on the festival and the places we call home. We are pleased to confirm that we put in a successful bid to Arts Council England for the 2026 extension year, and the festival will go ahead in 2026 with our contribution and a significant amount of money from Arts Council England.”

While the main festival weekend attracts tens of thousands of visitors into Bournemouth Town Centre, Arts by the Sea maintains a year-round presence, working with schools, libraries, community centres and local creatives to nurture talent, build confidence and ensure culture remains accessible and inclusive. Since launching in 2011, the festival has presented large-scale spectacle, music, installations, dance, street theatre and participatory experiences in public spaces, contributing to the area’s growing reputation as a vibrant cultural destination.