Massive turnout for Weston’s weekend of free and affordable arts
Monday 16 June 25
Over the weekend of June 6-8, Weston buzzed with creative energy as thousands of people took part in over 40 free and affordable arts activities.
Produced by Super Culture the weekend included acclaimed international outdoor arts festival, Whirligig, alongside visual arts festival Promenade, and “Sea Like a Mirror,” a national celebration marking the 200th anniversary of the RNLI.
A Weekend of exceptional Performances
Across two days, we welcomed a wide range of exceptional artists, showcasing some of the best UK and international street theatre companies. Farm Yard Circus delighted early years audiences with a charming mix of physical theatre and participation, while Loveboat encouraged everyone to put on their dancing shoes and jump on board for a cruise of love, music and fun …in the rain!
We took over new spaces across the town to showcase exciting work, including breathtaking aerial acrobatics from Daughters of the Dust and the dynamic hip-hop dance of Joseph Toomba’s Born to Protest.
One audience member shared, “We had a brilliant time – it was fantastic to see such high-quality performances in Weston and introduce my daughter to art forms that she wouldn’t normally have access to.”
An Unforgettable Evening
In the evening, a disused car park was transformed. Over 500 people uncovered a building site and three clowns reeling from the consequences of a very unfortunate event. This was MDR: Death By Laughter, the brainchild of renowned Catalan street theatre company Los Galindos. The show sold out both nights, with one audience member sharing, “I would not usually go to see a clown show – but decided to take a chance as it was pay-what-you-feel – and it did not disappoint. I really like the secrecy of it and finding it hidden in a car park!”
Against the Odds: A Weather Resilient Team
Outdoor Arts and the British weather are two things Super Culture have a lot of experience with. Keeping a constant eye on the sky, our dedicated team and Culture Maker volunteers ensured all weekend events went ahead without a hitch.
A huge thank you to them, the incredible artists who made the weekend extraordinary, and everyone who came along.
Promenade and Sea Like a Mirror
The weekend also welcomed the return of visual arts festival Promenade Weekender, a weekend programme of local art commissions, activities, and events exploring place, environment & the natural world through multidisciplinary contemporary arts and socially engaged practice.
Promenade, produced by Weston-based Sam Francis, compliments Sea Like a Mirror, a major touring programme commissioned by Cement Fields to mark the 200th anniversary of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). This travelling work, housed within a unique, custom-made sculptural tent was installed at Marine Lake Beach, immersing audiences in the stories of RNLI crew and local people from around our coastline. Within this structure, Ivan Morison’s brave new work, White Horses, was screened using 16mm projection and accompanied by a stunning soundscape by Clevedon composer Chris Hope. “Tender, haunting and thought provoking” commented one audience member.
Lead image by Paul Blakemore