Artwaves Festival Digital 2021

About

A Digital ArtWaves Festival

 

ArtWaves Festival has moved to a digital platform for the 2021 event following the latest government guidance with a programme of creative online activities being staged across the main festival weekend 6/7 March 2021.

 

Much of the original content is still in place with online bookable workshops being held throughout the festival week, commencing 1st March, from festival favourites like pastel sessions with Robert Dutton to new additions such as at home ceramics with artist Anna Whitehouse.

 

ArtWaves Open Exhibition will be held solely online alongside free artist demonstrations, interactive artist sessions and several workshops embracing street art, dance and music by Hull Beats Bus.

 

The main digital ArtWaves elements will be streamed on Facebook, Youtube and Instagram to ensure as many people can access it as possible.

 

It’s not all virtual though, the festival's highly anticipated Visual Art Trail is set to make a return with 24 artist designed ceramic birds nesting across the town in shop windows as a trail to explore, following a free to download bird book that will be made available online. Similarly, artist Sian Ellis will be bringing an environmental monster trail to the south promenade as part of the ArtWaves commitment to raising awareness on environmental issues.

 

Available to purchase will be a specially curated creative pack with printed booklets, art resources and activities for people to get involved from home but retaining a sense of physical involvement rather than everything being virtual.

 

Lauren Frost, ArtWaves Festival Director said, ‘We have been working tirelessly with our artists and Bridlington Spa to ensure a safe and secure in person event for this year however, this is no longer viable. The online variation is not the way we wanted to deliver the event but we’re hopeful that our artists can still inspire people to get creative from home. Like many events across the country we hope that you will support us, our artists and the arts more generally.’

The Birds Are Back:

ArtWaves Festival has announced the details of its upcoming Visual Art Trail which is set to be displayed in windows across Bridlington. Creating an exciting tour around the town where people can search for the Seabirds between the 1st and 7th March 2021.

The 24 Seabirds have been brought to life by artists across the UK, each putting a signature twist on the design. Artists such as Ian Kirkpatrick, Juliette Losq, Charles Evans and renowned street artists, Paris and Hazard have all participated to make this a vibrant and incredibly diverse art trail.

A specially designed bird book and map are now available to download from the festival website and will help hunters uncover the locations and spot each of them.

Festival Director, Lauren Frost said, ‘We are extremely excited to see the return of our visual art trail in 2021, it’s one of the only elements that can continue to run in the original format. Although the majority of the event is now online we felt it was vital to maintain a physical presence where possible and the trail is something that can be done safely assuming those participating observe the current government guidance. We have a really exciting selection of birds ready to be placed in windows across the town for people to find, we can’t wait for people to see them!’  

Following the completion of the live art trail, all the birds will be placed in an online auction to raise money for art projects such as The Critical Fish.

The Critical Fish Co-founder, Jill Howitt said, ‘We are delighted to be receiving funding from the sale of the birds produced for ArtWaves. We think this is a fantastic project that will create a fun and interesting trail around Bridlington, showcase the creativity of a range of artists, whilst raising money for arts organisations such as ourselves. We will use the funding to commission and present work by artists and writers - many from the local region. This is a difficult time for the arts and we are so grateful to have this support from a local arts organisation’

The Artwaves Festival Visual Art Trail is for everyone to enjoy, and seeks to provide some outdoor excitement and variation in these difficult times and forms a small section of the overall festival which is now taking to the digital platform.

The bird book and further festival information is available on the festival website artwaves.co.uk and ticketing enquiries for bookable workshops can be made via the Bridlington Spa box office on 01262 678258.

 

The online version of the ArtWaves will also be accompanied with a spin off event being held on the 21st August 2021, featuring installation artists amongst the several Bridlington based galleries and larger than life puppets from Hull Carnival Arts roaming the streets for a one off day of culture and vibrancy.

All information will be updated on the festival website artwaves.co.uk and ticketing enquiries can be made via the Bridlington Spa box office on 01262 678258.

 

***ArtWaves is a visual arts festival taking place now digitally for the sixth year on the revised dates 6 - 7 March 2021 with a fringe programme running from Monday 1 - Friday 5 March 2021, showcasing traditional, digital, contemporary and urban art through a vibrant programme curated for all; from the experienced artist to those simply looking to get creative.***