Fleetwood Moves 2026: Building on success to create a landmark North West Arts Festival

Following the success of the first Fleetwood Moves festival in 2024, plans are underway to deliver an expanded and more ambitious Fleetwood Moves festival for 2026. The free music and dance festival is rooted in inclusivity, community participation and high-quality artistic work and takes place at Marine Hall and Gardens on Saturday 4 July. 

Fleetwood Moves 2024 took place at Memorial Park, engaging over 1,300 members of the public, artists and local organisations across a full day of dance, theatre, music, circus performance and participatory activity. The event generated strong local momentum and demonstrated a clear appetite for inclusive, accessible arts activity in Fleetwood. 

This year’s Fleetwood Moves is presented in partnership with Marine Hall and is hoped this will enable it to festival to grow from strength to strength over the next few years. 

The long-term vision is for Fleetwood Moves to be recognised as a significant North West arts festival, where artists, companies and musicians from Wyre, Lancashire, across the North West and beyond can come together with local communities to celebrate and present high-quality artistic work. 

Cllr Lynne Bowen Leisure, Health & Community Engagement Portfolio Holder at Wyre Council said: 

“Fleetwood Moves is a vibrant and inclusive celebration of creativity in our borough. We are proud to support its development and to see Marine Hall playing a central role in bringing people together through the arts. This festival is a fantastic opportunity to showcase local talent, welcome performers from further afield, and inspire our communities to engage with culture and creativity.” 

Delivered by LPM, who is an organisation with a strong track record in developing and delivering high-quality, inclusive provision, the festival will draw on established local, national and international networks and partnerships. This places Fleetwood Moves in a strong position to grow as an ambitious, sustainable and artistically compelling event. 

This year’s festival will feature a mix of local talent and performers from further afield, showcasing a diverse range of dance styles. The line-up includes Indepen-dance, an award-winning inclusive dance company from Glasgow, Harmony and Health Fleetwood, Ascendance from Leeds, Fleetwood Fusion, Rock Academy from Blackpool, and many more. 

Helen Gould, co-founder of LPM Dance, said: 

“We’re delighted to be working with Marine Hall. Since beginning our work in Fleetwood in 2021, we’ve seen first-hand how Fleetwood Moves has the potential to grow into a major cultural event for the North West. The diversity of people involved—from professional artists to families and local residents—has been incredibly inspiring. Fleetwood Moves 26 is about building on that momentum, deepening community involvement and raising artistic ambition, while keeping the festival fully accessible to all.” 

Fleetwood Moves 2026 will be underpinned by a commitment to inclusivity, bringing together people of all ages and abilities while providing an accessible platform for both professional and community artists to perform. 

Working closely with Healthier Fleetwood, Fleetwood Moves 26 aims to make a positive impact on the local community and cultural sector by inspiring people to engage in creative arts that demonstrably support wellbeing and community. The festival will bring communities from across Lancashire together with those in Fleetwood, showcasing dance as an accessible and beneficial activity for all. Creating new opportunities for people with and without disabilities. 

Fleetwood Moves Festival is supported by Arts Council England and Wyre Council and will take place at Marine Hall and Gardens on 4 July.