Morecambe Bay communities invited to creatively explore 120 miles of coastline

The people of Morecambe Bay are being invited to get involved with an exciting investigative arts journey called Bay Lines which forms part of the ambitious national ‘Beach of Dreams’ programme – an epic collective journey to discover more about our national coastlines, ourselves and our planet.

As part of the Ways Around The Bay initiative, local charity Morecambe Bay Partnership has commissioned internationally renowned arts organisation Kinetika in partnership with Kendal-based Rosa Productions to deliver the programme which will bring together artists, writers, scientists and the Bay’s communities to walk the coastline and gather real stories which explore environmental themes and the challenges of today. Participants are invited to consider the question ‘How can we creatively reimagine our future?’

The programme kicks off with a series of ‘Gathering Walks‘ led by Kinetika’s Artistic Director, Ali Pretty, along the Bay coastline from 3 – 8 June and everyone is invited to Beach Installation Events in four different locations across the Bay over the August Bank Holiday weekend where hundreds of silk pennants inspired by the community’s designs and stories, will create a spectacular display.

There are several ways people can get involved, whether that is by taking part in the walks, helping to design silk pennants to reflect the colours and imagery of the Bay, join the conversations, share their stories, create art or just pop along to enjoy the finale events.

Local people are being asked to sign up to one of the 120 miles of coastal route around the Bay which can be walked in their own time. Participants are invited to write, draw, take photos and share their dreams about that place. The submissions will inspire the designs for the pennants and create a rich tapestry of stories for all to enjoy and spark imagination about the future of the Bay’s landscape.

All the contributions from Bay Lines will form part of the national Beach of Dreams 2025 programme which will culminate in a collective journey around 10,000 miles of coastline across the UK and Ireland, led by Kinetika and Creative Lives.

Chief Executive of Morecambe Bay Partnership, the charity which commissioned the programme, Sarah Mason explained “We’re delighted to bring this opportunity to the Bay’s local residents to enjoy some creative inspiration and engage in conversations about the places to which they are deeply connected, encouraging people to explore in new ways, and helping us all express our collective hopes for the future’’.

Rosemary Richards, Creative Director at Rosa productions said ‘Morecambe Bay is a stunning landscape and coastal area.  120 miles of the Bay have been selected from Fleetwood to Walney Island. We want to encourage people who live around the Bay to select one of the miles, and photograph, draw and collect stories about their mile. You can then take part in making your mile into 1 of 120 beautiful and unique silk pennants created with artists from Kinetika for this project.  These pennants will then be displayed on the beaches and seafront at Walney Island, Grange-over-Sands, Arnside and Morecambe over August Bank Holiday weekend. ”

Ali Pretty, Artistic Director at Kinetika added ‘We are working with silk and natural dyes to create a unique representation of the landscape of the Bay which is made by local communities and artists alongside the Kinetika team.  We work internationally and source our silk from India and are exploring the coastline across the UK. Our Beach of Dreams project is designed to be sustainable and to explore both the beauty of the local environment and the challenges it faces.  You can join me on a ‘Gathering Walk’ and get involved in the conversation from 3-8 June 2023 as I walk from Fleetwood to Walney Island along coastal paths.”

The events form part of the launch of Ways Around The Bay, a programme which aims to establish Morecambe Bay as a centre for walking, cycling and exploring the Bay in low carbon ways. The initiative is creating more inclusive access, so everyone can enjoy the Bay’s inspiring landscapes, nature, history and culture. The programme is funded by the Department for Levelling Up (Coastal Communities Fund) via Westmorland and Furness Council.

Programme overview

Sign up to a mile and walk or cycle in your own time: Book your slot here.

10 -14 May – Introductory Workshops in Barrow, Arnside, Morecambe and Grange – come and find out more about the project and some useful tips for creating your story.

3 – 8 June: Story Gathering Walks

10 – 11 June: Natural Dye Introductory Taster Workshops

29 July – 6 August: Silk Pennant Design and Natural Dye Residency

25 – 28 August: Beach installation events with walking and cycling participation at 4 locations across the Bay open to all.

Full details about the events programme and how to get involved can be found on the Morecambe Bay Beach of Dreams website