Final line-up additions offer even more for families, while an expanded Bite-Sized programme takes Arts by the Sea further into local communities.

Arts by the Sea has revealed the final artists joining its 2026 festival, completing this year’s ELEMENTAL-themed programme with live music, theatre, dance, poetry and hands-on creativity for the whole family. The festival supports local artists, community organisations and businesses while providing free cultural experiences for residents and visitors. 

Returning to Bournemouth Town Centre on Friday 25th and Saturday 26th September, the South West’s largest free celebration of arts, culture, people and place will welcome The Hide, Breakin’ Free by Pavilion Dance South West, Read by the Sea, The Story Works, Freefall Collective and a Bournemouth & Poole College Takeover as the final additions to this year’s line-up.

Kicking off the festival on Friday night, a Festival Welcome will bring audiences together before Freefall Collective get the weekend started with their feel-good fusion of dub, reggae, drum & bass and hip hop, offering plenty for the whole family to enjoy as the Festival gets underway. 

On Saturday 26th September, audiences of all ages can become budding birdwatchers with The Hide, a story-driven experience from Tilly Ingram Theatre. Following the story of G463, a disabled White-Tailed Eagle who sparked Tilly’s love of birdwatching, the show invites everyone to get curious about the wildlife and natural world around them. 

Young people will take centre stage with Breakin’ Free, bringing Pavilion Dance participants together with those taking part in this year’s Bite-Sized Festivals. Led by choreographer Hannah Malone, they will learn the ELEMENTAL-inspired choreography at the community days before coming together to perform the finished piece at Arts by the Sea, celebrating creativity and the joy of moving together. 

For budding writers, Read by the Sea brings the National Year of Reading out of the classroom and into the festival. Curated by Mayu Rousant of Getting Poetical and supported by the National Literacy Trust, local poets will perform alongside an open mic session inviting children and adults to share their own writing, read a favourite poem or simply listen to others.

Young imaginations can run wild with The Story Works, which will invite children to get creative through a drop-in storytelling experience. The Dorset charity will encourage young festivalgoers to dream up ideas and bring their own stories to life through words and pictures. 

The Bournemouth & Poole College Takeover will showcase emerging local talent through games, photography, workshops, make-up, live music and pop-up performances. Led by students across creative courses, the takeover will also give younger visitors a glimpse of where their own creative interests could take them.

But families won’t have to wait until the end of September to get their first taste of arts and culture. Ahead of the main festival, Arts by the Sea will head into local neighbourhoods for three free Bite-Sized Festivals, offering family-focused days of creative activity closer to home. Following last year’s success and thanks to audience development funding from Without Walls, the programme will expand for 2026 with a brand-new event in Townsend, joining West Howe and Bourne. 

The first takes place at Henry Brown Youth Centre in West Howe on Saturday 5th September, followed by Bourne Community Hub on Sunday 6th September, before the new Bite-Sized Festival arrives at Townsend Community Centre on Saturday 12th September.

Each will offer families the chance to experience the spirit of Arts by the Sea in their own neighbourhood before the main festival arrives in Bournemouth Town Centre later in the month. For those unable to make the main weekend, the Bite-Sized Festivals also offer a free and accessible way to be part of this year’s celebrations.

Andrea Francis, Festival Director, said: “Families are a huge part of Arts by the Sea, and we want children and young people to feel that the festival is theirs to explore. This year’s programme gives them so many ways to experience creativity, whether that’s discovering theatre and dance, sharing a poem, creating their own story or seeing where a passion for the arts could take them.”

Councillor Andy Martin, Portfolio Holder for Culture, Customer and Communications at BCP Council, said: “The Bitesized Festivals are about taking Arts by the Sea beyond the town centre and bringing free cultural experiences directly into our communities. Following their success last year, adding Townsend for 2026 means we can reach even more local people and give families another opportunity to experience the festival closer to home.”

Arts by the Sea is a free event bringing together diverse music, intriguing installations, dance, street theatre and participatory experiences in one unique and celebratory programme. It is founded by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council. The 2026 festival follows a successful extension-year funding award from Arts Council England. The festival is supported using public funding by Arts Council England. BCP Council continues to support delivery of the festival alongside its partners.

Arts by the Sea is a partner in Without Walls, a network of organisations bringing innovative outdoor arts to towns and cities across England. Find out more on withoutwalls.uk.com.

Further programme announcements will be made in the coming weeks. For the latest updates, visit the Arts by the Sea website or follow @ArtsbytheSea on social media.