(c) ROSA Productions
Beach of Dreams
Introduction
Beach of Dreams began as a 500-mile walk artistically exploring the coastline of the UK in 2021. The project was initiated by Kinetika, led by artistic director, Ali Pretty in partnership with Rosa Productions, and will culminate in the collective UK and Ireland-wide mass participatory coastal journey in May 2025, developed by Kinetika.
Beach of Dreams 2023
In 2023, we continued the national exploration of Beach of Dreams with a commissioned event in Morecambe Bay, Bay Lines – Beach of Dreams.
We also worked in partnership with the South West Coast Path Association in 2023, helping to celebrate the 50th-anniversary of the Association on its commemorative 630-mile South West Coast Path Trailblazer Walk on 15 June with our Beach of Dreams pennants. As well as this, we worked with Natural England as part of the King Charles III England Coast Path Celebrations, which will be fully walkable by the end of 2024 – connecting communities across England.
Learn more about our initial project, Beach of Dreams 2021.
Various Beach of Dreams images. (c) Tessa Bunney, Jay Stone and South West Coast Path Association, Mike Johnston, Ali Pretty, Nigel Thompson and Brian Hartley
About the project
Beach of Dreams 2025 will be an unprecedented partnership of arts, cultural, environmental, and community organisations across England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland which will bring artists, scientists, and writers together with communities to creatively seek solutions for their local landscape in response to challenges presented by the climate emergency.
Hopes and fears, stories and dreams will be gathered mile by mile, shared on digital platforms with a global audience, showcased in stunning visual displays of thousands of locally-designed silk pennants made and carried by the public to inspire and catalyse positive change. Learn more about Beach of Dreams 2025.
If you are interested in being a partner, contact ali@kinetika.co.uk.
Sign up for the Beach of Dreams Newsletter for all the latest news:
What is Beach of Dreams?
Beach of Dreams 2025 is an invitation to join an epic collective journey from 1st May – 1 June 2025 to discover more about our coastlines, ourselves, and our planet, in collaboration with local communities, artists, writers, and scientists. Together, through walking, talking, and making, we will consider the question “How can we creatively reimagine our future? And what will we do to look after our communities, our coastal environment, and ourselves?”
The purpose:
- To explore together through combining walking, nature connection and creativity, how we can and will take care of the coastal environment, communities and ourselves.
- To support health, wellbeing and happiness.
- To activate climate awareness for future generations through shared creativity, ideas, inspiration, pledges and resources.
- To build stronger connections between participants and with nature.
Hire the Beach of Dreams Pennants
Beach of Dreams 2021 created 500 naturally-dyed silk pennants which are available for hire.
Beach of Dreams 2021 (c) Mike Johnston
How Will It Work?
Beach of Dreams 2025 will initiate and inspire communities to walk (or kayak, cycle and sail) coastlines together, to celebrate culture, community and nature and to develop creative climate action responses.
Participants will be invited to identify and pledge climate action to support their future vision, relevant to their particular setting. Want to get involved? Discover how on the Beach of Dreams website.
Bay Lines – Beach of Dreams 2023, Walney Island, Image (c) Tessa Bunney
Note from writer, Kevin Rushby
“The beach is always the place where human life is exposed, with all its frailties, ambitions and dreams. On beaches we find sublime panoramas, but also all the rubbish that we had thrown away and hoped never to see again. With a brutal disregard for human sensitivities, the sands bear witness to our mistakes: the dead dolphin in a broken fishing net, the empty container with the skull and crossbones sticker, and the stricken seabirds marinated in crude oil.And somewhere high up in the dunes among the rare orchids and butterflies, there is often a wavy line of dried seaweed, like a hastily scribbled message from the sea, warning us of even higher tides to come.
This is a time of emergencies and crises and humans always think more clearly when walking.
It is when walking that lost treasures are spotted, and their value and meaning understood. Walking brings contact with people and time to talk.
The range and scope of people that will be drawn into Beach of Dreams is immense: scientists and artists, old and young, expert and amateur, all manner of people will make contact, fostering new ideas, opinions and partnerships.
In this context, and in these times, Beach of Dreams feels like the right thing to do. It is a walk that will bring vitality and colour to thousands of people, forging new connections and relationships that will develop hope and inspiration when most needed.”
– Kevin Rushby
