ArtWaves Festival returns for 2017

Bridlington Spa is once again delighted to announce the return of ArtWaves Festival for its third year, taking place on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 May 2017 with an additional fringe programme running from Monday 8 May. 

ArtWaves is a visual arts festival which showcases traditional, digital, contemporary and urban art through a vibrant programme curated for all; from the experienced artist to those simply looking to get creative. 

The 2017 programme will see the return of artists from previous ArtWaves alongside an elective mix of new artists to create the festival line up. There will be demonstrations from award winning artists, masterclasses, workshops, installations, den building, live street art and much more. 

For those with a passion for art there is a number of bookable workshops for varied experience levels in a range of art forms, these are limited capacity and selling quickly so we would advise booking soon. 

Those with younger children can have fun with our den building, doodling and other creative drop in sessions whilst completing their Arts Award certificate at the festival. 

This year sees the return of street art and the urban twist to ArtWaves with a collaborative piece between artists and the community, The Jungle. This will combine the festivals outreach work with the live spray art over the weekend by leading street art artists. 

The ArtWaves Open exhibition is back for a further year, with the theme, ‘Culture’. Entries can be submitted until the closing date of 7 April 2017; all details can be found on the website. There will be a number of cash prizes available and all selected entries will be displayed in the Spa Gallery from Monday 8 May 2017. 

The official festival programme is available online at bridspa.com/artwaves.

The festival is being supported by the East Riding of Yorkshire Council as part of their ongoing investment in culture and heritage across Bridlington and Sewerby. It is hoped that the festival will attract new visitors to the area whilst providing low-cost, fun activities for local residents.

Lauren Frost, ArtWaves Director said, “The response for the 2016 event was fantastic, we doubled in attendance figures from the first year and had a lot of very positive feedback. In 2017 we are bringing more of that and introducing workshops throughout the week prior to run alongside the Open Exhibition and a guest exhibition, creating the ArtWaves Fringe.

“We are looking to expand on the outreach work and incorporate that into the street art offering in an effort to encourage a younger demographic to the event, creating something fresh and exciting for them to be a part of. Similarly, the introduction of Arts Award gives young people the opportunity to explore arts in a fun and dynamic way and an element we are very excited about.” 

Councillor Richard Burton, Portfolio Holder for Culture said 

"I am thrilled that we are hosting ArtWaves Festival for its third year and as a significant event within the Hull City of Culture year. The festival presents opportunities to support both tourism and the economic development of the area but offers a vibrant programme of creative activities for families and local people. 

"The festival has grown and developed, with an aim to have a wide appeal to all ages, interests and skill sets by offering many opportunities for individuals to immerse themselves in and participate in a range of different art activities."

Further information can be found at bridspa.com/artwaves