Arts by the Sea 2025 takes place Friday 26th September - Sunday 28th September 2025 

Submit your work to be considered for Arts by the Sea's Artist in Residence 2025.

Read below for more details. 

2024 Brochure Design by Rebecca Strickson in response to the theme of TASTE.

What are we looking for? 

Artist in Residence 2025

Our Artist in Residence scheme aims to work with an artist who can showcase the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole area in a new light.

This artist is commissioned to build, design, paint or create something which gives a new perspective on this iconic seaside town. The artist is encouraged to work in any medium and/ or across multi-media platforms and their work will feature in the festival in a number of different ways.

We're looking for an emerging artist or an artist looking to explore other forms of artist expression as well as their experienced artform, ideally someone based in, or from Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

This artist will work on pieces based around our 2025 theme WE ARE HERE, as well as Arts by the Sea's iconic branding style, of bright, accessible, eye catching and playful work.

Artistic outputs

The expectation is for the artist to: 

• Create a design for the front cover of the iconic festival brochure. This design and/or elements of it will also feature in the 2025 festival branding across print and digital media, on signage and advertising across the festival site. 
• Create a piece of commissioned artwork for the festival site. This artwork will be part of the festival from at least 26-28th September 2025, can be in any format (for example, several previous artworks have been interactive installations), should give a new perspective on Bournemouth and be suitable for a wide range of audiences.  
• Deliver four in-person workshops within our local communities. These workshops may feed into our annual community participatory event and/or be part of our neighbourhood community festivals. 

Mentorship

This opportunity also includes a mentorship by last years Artist in Residence, Rebecca Strickson. The selected artist will have access to monthly online meetings with Rebecca and the festival's Creative Director, Tor Byrnes. In these meetings the chosen artist will be able to access help, advice and guidance on: ideas, execution/ making, budgeting, technical support, health & safety and general advice on making work for council-funded festivals. 

Dates

The Residency runs from March 2025 - October 2025, with some key deliverables and dates. Please refer to the brief for full details. 

The Upside Down House - collaboration between Rebecca Strickson and Light Art Creatives. Arts by the Sea 2024.

This year's festival theme

WE ARE HERE

Our 2025 theme "WE ARE HERE” is a bold celebration of community, creativity, and the power of place, as we come together to showcase homegrown talent and amplify the voices of those who call Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole their home. “WE ARE HERE” captures the essence of belonging and the vibrant diversity of our local cultures, acknowledging the significance of where we live and how we connect with one another. Local talent will be celebrated alongside national and regional acts to uplift and inspire - from dance, music, theatre, a mass sing-along, or parkour! 

“WE ARE HERE” not only explores the place we all call home but also encourages us to think about who “WE” are and what “HERE” means to us. Our theme challenges the perception of our home as a destination only in the summer months and asks, ‘how does the incredible place we live in shape our lives?’ - and ‘how do we shape the place we live in?’

At its heart, “WE ARE HERE” recognises community. “WE” shouts loud about our collective identity, our passion, innovation and collaboration, our kindness towards each other and the amazing things we can achieve together. Our place brings us together and in a postcard from our collective heart Arts by the Sea sends a message to the world to say “WE ARE HERE”, proud, thriving, celebrating, belonging.

The art in this year’s festival will provoke a conscious awareness of our place in the world, play with our notions of who we are, and create a joyful affirmation of existence, ultimately reminding all of us we’re alive, and can celebrate together HERE in our place, at Arts by the Sea!

Submit your Artist in Residence Application

Please fill in the form below to provide details about you, your artwork and a few basic ideas relating to the theme of WE ARE HERE as well as the artistic outputs listed above.

This application can be written and/or you can upload a video or a few inital sketches.

We will short-list applicants and may be in touch with you to ask you to expand on your idea before we can make a final decision.  

Deadline for applications: 12:00 noon, March 3rd 2025

Arts by the Sea is produced by BCP Council and supported using public funding by Arts Council England. For more information, get in touch via:

Tor Byrnes - Creative Producer

Email: tor@fromthefields.co.uk