Thousands of people in Weston and throughout the area joined in the second Weston Arts + Health Week as over 45 live and online activities were hosted by the town in a packed programme of events that took place throughout Weston, in health and care settings and in green, open spaces.

Presented in partnership between Culture Weston and the Arts & Culture Programme at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) from 18 to 26 September, at the heart of the pioneering collaboration, was Luke Jerram’s stunning artwork ‘In Memoriam’. It was the Festival’s privilege to commission this artwork which toured the UK and was also hailed as a cultural highlight of the year by Darren Henley CEO Arts Council England.  For more information see https://memoriamartwork.com

Situated on the beach, the poignant installation of over 100 flags created from hospital bedsheets provided a temporary memorial for the public to visit and remember all that we have lost from the Covid-19 pandemic and pay tribute to the NHS.

During the nine-day event, In Memoriam and its stunning coastal backdrop was the setting for a series of immersive performances, including a fire-lit NHS procession and the soothing sounds of Costanzi Consort chamber choir on the opening weekend to a festival finale filled with dance, poetry and song.

The premiere of a new dance commission, created and performed amongst the flags by the internationally renowned ‘Studio Wayne McGregor’, alongside dance students from Weston College took place on Friday 24 September in front of a mesmerised audience and to the haunting soundtrack ‘A Moment in Time’, composed by Dan Jones and featuring amongst the talent, Massive Attack and Portishead. An inspiring light installation ‘Recovery Poems’ by Emergency Exit Arts gave pause for thought as people stopped to reflect upon the emotive words.