Unmissable Family Fun at Watergate Bay: Arts on the Beach 2024 Celebrates Ocean Conservation

Get ready for a weekend of free family fun at the Arts on the Beach festival on 15th & 16th June at Watergate Bay.

This year’s event, taking place shortly after Earth Day 2024, focuses on the crucial theme of ocean conservation, featuring an impressive line-up of live theatre, music, dance, creative workshops, and informative talks.

Dazzling Performances and Interactive Art

A major highlight is the return of Eko, a 13-foot puppet from Johnny Autin Dance Theatre’s Out of the Deep Blue show. Eko, a playful ocean spirit, will once again engage with festival-goers, sharing stories about the oceans, plastic pollution, and the biodiversity crisis. Johnny Autin describes Eko’s mission as one of imparting important environmental messages in a fun and engaging manner.

Visitors can also explore the belly of an 18-metre inflatable whale, presented by the all-female theatre group Circo Rum Ba Ba. Inside this unique structure, children can join a mission to help a lifelike leatherback turtle, crafted by Jimmy Grimes of War Horse fame, learn about the dangers of single-use plastics, and discover how small actions can make a big difference. Marianne Groves, co-founder of Circo Rum Ba Ba, emphasises the importance of empowering children to make positive changes.

Art from Waste: Beach4Art and Georgina Peters

The festival celebrates the creation of art from waste with two new artist residencies. Beach4Art will use the sand as a canvas to create a stunning lobster mural from beach-combed materials, showcasing the beauty of upcycled art. Additionally, artist Georgina Peters will bring her brushes to the beach, painting nature-inspired works and inviting festival-goers to collaborate in her creative process. These interactive art projects aim to highlight the importance of reusing and repurposing materials to protect the environment.

Dance and Music for a Cause

The festival also features H&T Creative’s thought-provoking dance piece, No Time to Waste, which uses plastic waste as props to highlight the environmental impact of discarded plastics. Additionally, Weapons of Sound, known as “the UK’s greenest junk band,” will close the weekend with their vibrant performance, using instruments made from recycled materials to create a fun and memorable experience.

Engaging Workshops and Activities

Arts on the Beach 2024 offers numerous workshops and activities for festival-goers of all ages. Beach Guardian will guide attendees in crafting a mermaid’s tail from repurposed plastic, while Upcycle Kernow’s workshops will help children create sea creature costumes from trash. These costumes can be showcased in Sunday’s fancy dress parade, led by a giant lobster lantern made in collaboration with Truro City of Lights.

After their dance performance, H&T Creative will also offer workshops to teach young people some of their captivating moves, further exploring the theme of plastic pollution.

Informative Talks and Special Celebrations

The festival includes talks by Beach Guardian and The National Lobster Hatchery, covering topics from baby lobster adoption to the benefits of community beach cleans. These sessions aim to inspire and educate budding conservationists.

In addition to the performances and workshops, the festival coincides with National Lobster Day on 15 June and National Sea Turtle Day on 16 June. Father’s Day also falls on Sunday, with the popular Watergate Bay Beach School offering unique activities like wild whittling and mallet making for children to enjoy with their dads.

Arts on the Beach 2024 Line-Up

Performance:

• Out of the Deep Blue by Johnny Autin Dance Company (puppetry/dance)
• Everywhere’s a Beach by Hikapee Theatre (acrobatics/theatre)
• No Time to Waste by H&T Creative (dance)
• The Whale by Circo Rum Ba Ba Theatre (immersive theatre)
• Jack by Hall for Cornwall Youth Dance Company
• Shipwrecked Pirate by Hotch Potch Theatre (roaming stilt performer)
• Mysterious Sea Creature by Vicky Bartlett (roaming stilt performer)
• Hello Stranger by Treviglas School and Wildworks Theatre
• Bathing Belles by Cscape (dance)

Participation/Workshops:

• Truro City of Lights (two-day build of a giant lobster and parade)
• Blystra Arts (two days craft tent with two artists offering sea/eco-friendly activities)
• Beach Guardian (mermaid tail workshops)
• Upcycle Kernow (upcycling workshops to create sea creature-themed pieces)
• Shallal Arts (drop-in beach tent sanctuary)
• Watergate Bay Kids’ Zone Beach School

Music:

• Silent Disco – Saturday 15 June, 5-7pm
• Weapons of Sound (percussion-based band, live music) – Sunday 16 June, 5-6pm

Talks:

• Beach Guardian
• The National Lobster Hatchery

Food:

• My Mum Makes Thai
• Poppy’s Paella
• BBQ
• Treleavans Ice Cream
• Cubs Iced Coffee Truck
• St Austell Brewery pop-up bar
• Woodfired pizzas and hotdogs at the Beach Bar, Watergate Bay

Sponsors

The festival is generously supported by Cornwall Airport Newquay, Land Rover Discovery, Korev by St Austell Brewery, Steven Scown Solicitors, and support from Hall for Cornwall.

A Community-Focused Event

Helen Bishop, head of sustainability and engagement at Watergate Bay Hotel, highlights the importance of the festival in raising awareness about ocean conservation while supporting local charities and talent. “This year’s brilliant Arts on the Beach line-up uses 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,” she says.

Arts on the Beach 2024 promises a weekend filled with creativity, education, and fun, all while promoting a vital environmental message. Don’t miss out on this exciting family event – for more information and to view the full timetable, visit the Arts on the Beach 2024 website or contact Laura Smith at events@watergatebay.co.uk.