Bay lines - Beach of Dreams

All invited to enjoy a collaborative visual arts feast over August bank holiday, with music, dance, and performance.

A spectacle of over 600 silk wax-dyed pennants, each representing community stories inspired by the coastline will be temporarily installed in four locations around Morecambe Bay this August bank holiday weekend.

The free family-friendly events mark the culmination of an investigative arts journey called Bay Lines which is part of the ambitious national ‘Beach of Dreams’ programme – a collective journey to discover more about the UK coastline, us and our planet.

The programme, commissioned by local charity Morecambe Bay Partnership, worked with internationally renowned arts organisation Kinetika in partnership with Kendal-based Rosa Productions, and brought together artists, writers, scientists and the Bay’s communities. Participants chose a mile of the Bay’s coastline to walk, consider its personal meaning and then shared their hopes and dreams for that part of the coast.

Participants submitted photos, words and drawings used to inspire the design of 120 wax-dyed silk flags called pennants – one to represent each mile of the Bay’s coastline, with members of the community involved in waxing and dyeing the silks with local flora such as willow and bracken.

The unique creations will be joined by 500 more from around the country, at temporary sites lasting for one day only in each location at Walney Island, Arnside, Grange-over-Sands and Morecambe. Everyone is invited to take part as the pennants are walked in on accessible routes to the installation sites or just turn up to experience the spectacle and enjoy music and stories.

Michelle Cooper, the charity’s Engagement and Fundraising Team Leader said ‘The natural dye process to create the Morecambe Bay silks has been an experimental process for the artistic team – so it’s really satisfying to see the colours produced which are such a lovely representation of the Morecambe Bay landscape. We now have a unique collection of Morecambe Bay silks to accompany a fascinating archive of local stories that will be shared at the final installations and into the future.’

The silks will ensure Morecambe Bay is represented as an integral part of the national Beach of Dreams 2025 programme which will culminate in a collective journey around 10,000 miles of coastline across the UK and Ireland, led by Kinetika and Creative Lives.

Kinetika’s Artistic Director, Ali Pretty said ‘‘We’re looking forward to seeing the new Bay Lines – Beach of Dreams pennants flying at the installation events over the bank holiday weekend. It’s been a pleasure working with Morecambe Bay Partnership, as well as meeting so many people from the local community of Morecambe Bay to discover the stories of the local area and the future aspirations of those who live there. It’s also been a fantastic opportunity to solidify our working relationship with Kendal-based Rosa Productions who we worked with in 2021 in the East of England for the first Beach of Dreams project.”

For full information about the project and Bank Holiday events visit:

https://www.waysaroundthebay.org.uk/enjoy-your-visit/bay-lines-installation-events

Schedule of activity at each site:

 

10.45 - 11am – Meeting time for those who wish to accompany the participants with 120 newly created Morecambe Bay pennants to be ‘walked in' along the sea front at each location to the temporary installation sites.  All welcome to join these short easy walks. Walk details found on the website.

12.30pm - Live music to accompany the arrival of the pennants being added to the 500 existing UK Beach of Dreams pennants

1.15pm - Morecambe Bay audio stories and music from the Boom Bikes and Boom Bike Boureé to accompany peoples’ enjoyment of the installation.

3.15 – 4pm Live music with different artists at different locations and finish. All pennants will be removed at the end of each day.

Dates and installation locations

Friday 25 August, 11am to 4pm, Walney Island

Grass area below Round House Hub & Café, Walney, Barrow-in-Furness LA14 3YE

Saturday 26 August, 11am to 4pm, Grange-over-Sands

Grange Promenade LA11 7DS

Sunday 27 August, 11am to 4pm, Arnside

By Arnside Pier LA5 0HA

Enjoy sea shanties at this event.

Monday 28 August, 11am to 4pm, Morecambe

By Promenade and Clock Tower LA4 5BX

With performances by the Bicycle Ballet Company and More Music

Depending on the weather, the temporary installation may remain in place till the early evening/sunset - a great photography opportunity.

 

The team would like to encourage people to arrive at the event locations by public transport or walk or cycle if they can, to help reduce congestion, pollution and our collective carbon footprint.