Arts by the Sea is back for 2026 on Friday 25th and Saturday 26th September!
Expect another exceptional weekend celebrating art, culture, people and place.
This year, the festival theme is ELEMENTAL.
ELEMENTAL is a bold celebration of the forces that connect us to each other and to the world around us. From the spark of electricity that ignites our imaginations to the grounding strength of earth and the renewing flow of water, these energies shape how we live, move and create.
Through art, sound, movement and shared experiences, Arts by the Sea 2026 will explore the energy running through people, communities and landscapes. You might feel it in a performance, see it in an artwork, or hear it in music drifting through the gardens.
Together, we’ll celebrate creativity as a catalyst for positive change, encouraging collective action, sustainable thinking and a deeper connection to the world we share, starting in Bournemouth Gardens.
This year’s ELEMENTAL theme comes to life after dark with a spectacular programme of fire, light and electricity in Bournemouth’s Lower Gardens across Friday 25th and Saturday 26th September including:
Frequency Rider by Lords of Lightning
This year’s spectacle performance comes in the form of Frequency Rider by Lords of Lightning, sister company of the world-renowned Arcadia Spectacular.
Expect a breathtaking display as performers fire multi-million-volt bolts of electricity from their bodies, transforming electrical energy into music in a show unlike anything you’ve seen before.
Part science, part spectacle and completely unforgettable, Lords of Lightning captures the raw power and unpredictability of nature in a truly awe-inspiring performance
Meet Rusty the Horse and Elsie the Dragon by Paka the Uncredible
Joining us in the Lower Gardens across both evenings will be the extraordinary creations of internationally touring artist Paka the Uncredible.
Keep your eyes peeled for Rusty the Horse, a half-robotic character who will roam the Lower Gardens, bringing playful interactions with audiences to create theatre, surprise and plenty of mayhem.
You’ll also encounter Elsie the Dragon, a magnificent animatronic dragon engineered with 36 distinct body movements. Breathing smoke and fire as she comes to life, Elsie embodies the fiery spirit of this year’s ELEMENTAL celebrations.
Steamship Circus
Joining the line-up are Bournemouth favourites Steamship Circus, whose mesmerising fire performances will illuminate the gardens throughout both evenings.
Combining circus skill, choreography and flames, their performances will bring energy, excitement and a touch of magic to the festival after dark.
For a full line up of events please visit the Arts By The Sea Festival website.
