Premiering PORTAL on Bournemouth Beach (a 15m tall, towering light sculpture) plus over 100 Arts by the Sea it’s set to be another stimulating year of art and culture, offering depth, insight and excitement.

The celebratory festival of arts will include and exciting music programme at the bandstand, a new speakers’ corner area of the region’s most celebrated wordsmiths, plus a fun-packed family-friendly schedule which features so much street theatre, creative workshops, and playful and escapist entertainment that guests – of all ages – will be spoilt for choice.

It is thought 120,000 visitors are set to descend on the free-to-attend Arts by the Sea for another exhilarating weekend of participatory intriguing art and large-scale spectaculars. For 2023, the festival invites guests to take a MOMENT, be present, and experience the special things happening all around.

For those seeking moments to bring the family together, guests can seek out the hilarious Blockbuster Factory by Cat and Mouse Theatre as they roam the streets looking for passers-by to cast in their blockbuster movie, where all props are bananas.  Or the mobile TOAST Kitchen by Pif Paf as they perform a show of wild dancing, lashings of live music and an intimate sharing of food. For music loving families, the Orchestra of Objects is a must – a creative mix of fun, free-play music-making where all the instruments are made from unwanted objects and guaranteed to put smiles on faces.

These activities, plus many more are part of the special Family Trail at Arts by the Sea. It’s connected to Arts Award, a national arts qualification for children and young people awarded to anyone who fills in the official Arts Award booklet (available to collect from Arts2Educate at the festival) with notes and drawings from their experience. Over the weekend, the playful Arts2Educate will be running creative workshops where little ones can connect with the joy of making their own games as well as getting hands on with some classics in a series of enjoyable artistic activities.

The Star Of The Show activation by The Photo Lounge is also a must. Escapist entertainment for all the family, festival goers can pose to create their own video postcard using a 360 camera with the MOMENT captured forever and available to share on socials.

For anyone fascinated by all things creative, music, performing arts, arts and design, the Bournemouth & Poole College takeover at 60 Million Postcards is the place to be. Saturday will showcase a vibrant array of exceptional young bands, actors, singers, and dancers. While Sunday gets interactive with a variety of workshops for all the family led by teams in fine art, graphics and fashion. Attendees can take part in creating an enormous fabric collaborative collage in memory of the late Dame Vivienne Westwood.

Highlights at the bandstand include a melting pot of world sounds from the highly skilled Ukrainian singer and musician, Eka who plays an ancient, 64-stringed Ukrainian instrument known as the Bandura. Gugge 2000 will bring the happy vibes of Sweden’s native sound Guggenmusik, and from the shore of Lake Malawi, one-man rootsband, Gasper Nali will dish up a danceable AfroBeats show.

Guest won’t be able to resist joining in when they witness the talents of the Solent-based Love Soul Choir, and Dorset favourites, Funky Little Choir, who’ll both create mass sing-a-longs in perfect harmony as they perform contemporary hits from The Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Annie Lennox, Dua Lipa and many more.

Guests can plan their visit and find out times, dates and locations of all activities at www.artsbythesea.co.uk and follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for all the latest updates @artsbythesea.