Bournemouth’s largest independent arts festival, Bournemouth Emerging Arts Fringe (BEAF), will be immersing visitors and residents in Bournemouth’s emerging arts scene. From exhibitions, theatre productions, concerts, comedy, cabaret and film screenings, to a vibrant and colourful street festival, plus the launch of the first ever art gallery in a police box, this will be one of the liveliest and most imaginative festivals to hit the town.

Spread over 10 days, it will see  inspiring events transform venues across the town, from cafes and bars, galleries and theatres, to the more original spaces like the the cliff lifts,  a series of transformed shipping containers, and the famous police box in Boscombe.

With an ambition to ‘challenge views of creativity and culture,’ the festival features some of the best of Bournemouth’s homegrown artistic talent.  Showcasing the work of artists, musicians, poets, street performers, comedians, and sculptors, the festival will bring something different to the town and highlight the work being produced by the town’s creative community.

There’s a wide selection of events; highlights include a new theatre production The Vodka Hunters by the award-winning author and director Nell Leyshon; the sublime and ridiculous comedy/chaos/cabaret act, Slightly Fat Features; a beautiful sensory installation of plants and spices within two shipping containers on Boscombe beach from artists Garbacheva/Bonomo; magic and performance from the granddaughter of Lionel Jeffries, Amy Mason; new paintings from last festival’s winner of the BEAF Best in Show Award, Steve Moberly; a performance in the cliff lifts at Southbourne from Language Timothy!; a miniature 3-D cardboard sculpture of the streets of Boscombe;  and Murnau’s Nosferatu, accompanied by live music from The Cabinet of Living Cinema. These are just a sample of what to expect in the festival.

On Bank Holiday Monday, 7 May, the festival will be transforming Boscombe High Street into a hub of creative activity, featuring live street art created on pavements and installed shipping containers, street performances, art workshops for all ages, pop-up temporary exhibitions, the ‘Facebooth’ creating instant hand-drawn portraits, a parade of art cars, plus a feast of artisan traders, and more wonders to delight and surprise.

This year, BEAF has secured funding from Arts Council England, Bournemouth Coastal BID and the Boscombe Regeneration Partnership to expand the programme for the festival.

Festival Director, Carol Maund said, “The festival goes to show what great talent we have here in Bournemouth, and how important it is to nurture and support it, which is exactly what BEAF set out to do. BEAF has offered a platform to showcase Bournemouth’s artistic talent, and this year we are so pleased to be able to offer commissions to give our creatives the opportunity to present work specially made for the festival.”