Associate Artist 2026
The Arts by the Sea Associate Artist scheme exists to give a platform to allow an emerging professional artist to produce a new piece of work for the festival.
We’re ambitious that our Associate Artist scheme not only gives paid work to emerging and early career artists but also gives space for underrepresented art forms to be heard and to inspire a new generation of artists, as audiences watch newly comissioned art.
This scheme is open to individuals, groups and organisations. The applicant(s) must be over 18 years old and be either live, work or have a strong connection to Bournemouth, Christchurch or Poole.
The applicant must either:
*Practice an underrepresented artform (this is open – we want to hear from you about your practice and in what way it’s underrepresented)
*Be an emerging artist or new to your field
* Be an underrepresented artist, facing barriers to the creative sector or getting your work into the public realm.