The core festival takes place over the weekend of the 27th - 29th September with fringe events in the weeks before and after. The 2019 programming has a theme of Mind Matter - through this the festival aims to explore and challenge current attitudes towards mental health and spark conversations through artwork and installations inspired or influenced by mental health issues and experiences.

We've picked three highlights, not to be missed, from this year's programme.

Hôtel d’Illusions by Illuminos at the Town Hall | Saturday 28th | Sunday 29th
Hôtel d’Illusions is a bespoke, site-specific spectacle commissioned for Arts by the Sea. Using projection mapping technology, the façade of Bournemouth’s Town Hall

Pyronix on The Beach | Friday 27th
Founded in Belgium in 2012, the collective Pyronix Production has mastered the art of taming the light based on a strong background in modern juggling, manipulation of light and flame sources as well as visual and pyrotechnic effects.

Submerge: Carnival SOS by Shademakers at Horseshoe Common | Sunday 29th
Shademakers UK call on us to Save Our Seas as one of the leading carnival groups in Europe return to Arts by the Sea. This year they transport us into the big blue with their crazy closing parade! Starting at Horseshoe Common, watch as this participatory event sees the streets of Bournemouth filled with an array of fabulous, custom-made water creatures and deep-sea characters.

Other exhibitions, shows and activities include:

BeachHuts by Andy McKeown – New Commission, Open Call Winner 2019
    Middle Gardens on Friday 27th and Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th

Frantic by Acrojou
    Town Square on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th

The Actual Reality Arcade by Matthew Harrison
    Middle Gardens on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th

VR Playground by Thrill Laboratory
    Lower Gardens on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th

To Me, To You... by Wired Aerial Theatre
    Middle Gardens on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th

Colour Curve by Jack Wates - New Commission, Open Call Winner 2018
   The Beach on Friday 27th on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th

Eye of the Storm by Structured Light - New Commission, 5 festivals Commission Winner 2019
    Central Gardens on Friday 27th on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th

Cocoon by Ithaca - Associate Artist, New Commission 2019
    Lower Gardens on Friday 27th on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th

ROUNDABOUT
    Middle Gardens on Thursday 26th - Sunday 29th

Chappal by Nutkhut
    Various Locations on Saturday 28th

The Bomo Swing
    Bandstand on Sunday 29th

Love Soul Choir
    Bandstand on Saturday 28th

Flow by SQUIDSOUP
    Central Gardens on Friday 27th on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th

Step Hop House & Ceilidh Jam by Folk Dance Remixed
    Pier Approach on Saturday 28th

That Parking Show by Tangled Feet
    Pier Approach on Sunday 29th

My Heart, My Heart: Live Poetry Jukebox by Adie Mueller and Trui Malten
    Westover Gardens on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th

Funky Little Choir
    Bandstand on Sunday 29th

Hodman and Sally by The Flying Buttresses
    Various Locations on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th

Doctor! Doctor! by Safetycatch Street Theatre
    Town Square on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th

More Than A Mushroom by Kew Gardens
    Central Gardens on Friday 27th on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th

Mystic Myfanwy And The Psychic Sisters by Kitsch n Sync
    Various locations on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th

Fishko by PoCo
    Various locations on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th

Holly Holiday by Swank Theatre
    Various locations on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th

Gardener's Question Time by Bread and Butter Theatre
    Various locations on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th

The Memory Collectors by Same Difference
    Various locations on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th

Time Travel Treatment Room by Enter Edem
    Middle Gardens on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th

Bob And Gerry by Artemis
    Various locations on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th

Agbeko
    Bandstand on Sunday 29th

The Odd Beats
    Bandstand on Sunday 29th

Lokandes
    Bandstand on Sunday 29th

Esteban Card
    Bandstand on Saturday 28th

Gugge 2000
    Various Locations on Sunday 29th

Tarantola
    Bandstand on Saturday 28th

Das Brass
    Bandstand on Saturday 28th

Mind Matter Hub Overview
    Pavilion Terrace on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th

Talk: Mental Wellbeing For New Mothers
    Pavilion Terrace on Saturday 28th

Talk: Postnatal Depression- Men Get It Too
    Pavilion Terrace on Saturday 28th

Dorset Mind
    Pavilion Terrace on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th

Grafitti Art Workshop with Arts2Educate
    Pavilion Terrace on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th

YMCA's Chatterbox Project
    Pavilion Terrace on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th

11-19 Education Bus from BCP Council
    Lower Gardens on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th

Relate Bournemouth
    Pavilion Terrace on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th

Dorset Mental Health Forum
    Pavilion Terrace on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th

Steps2Wellbeing
    Pavilion Terrace on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th

Beach Clean with Litter Free Coast & Sea
    Pier Approach on Saturday 28th

NHS Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group
    Pavilion Terrace on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th

Samaritans
    Pavilion Terrace on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th

Flexercise and Zumba Gold with Active 50 + with Julie
    Pavilion Terrace on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th

Good Gym
    Pavilion Terrace on Sunday 29th

Arts in Mind
    Horseshoe Common on Sunday 29th

Park Yoga
    Lower Gardens on Sunday 29th

ASSOCIATED EVENT: South Coast Makers Market
    Westover Gardens on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th

ASSOCIATED EVENT: Suddenly Last Summer
    Across AUB Campus on Saturday 28th Sep - Saturday 30th Nov

ASSOCIATED EVENT: Coastal Comic Con
    The Royal Bath Hotel on Saturday 28th

ASSOCIATED EVENT: Lecture: Sir Joseph Banks and the Flowering of Empire
    BNSS on Saturday 28th

ASSOCIATED EVENT: Clearer Productions present: 'Broadway and Beyond'
    Shelley Theatre on Sunday 29th

FRINGE EVENT: Jim Moray Live
    Shelley Theatre on Friday 27th

ASSOCIATED EVENT: ARTCRANK
    THIS Workspace on Saturday 28th

ASSOCIATED EVENT: Don't Enter the Cellar present 'Penny Dreadful'
    Shelley Theatre on Saturday 28th

Bournemouth University: Green Activities for Families
    Lower Gardens on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th

Sonification of Tipping Points
    Lower Gardens on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th

For more information please visit: https://artsbythesea.co.uk