Art Beats 2024
Festival Themes
Flight - Art for the Thrill of Adventure
When we fly, we soar. We adventure and invent. We gain new perspectives. We experience the magic and beauty, but also the thrill and even danger, of breaking through the cloud line and into the beyond. But when we fly, we may also flee. Our flight may not be a choice, a lesser evil in a ‘fight or flight’ scenario. And increasingly, we understand that a love of flying is not sustainable, that our journeys through the clouds make the world not only smaller but more fragile. Whether literal or metaphorical, human or mechanical, flight presents a dual nature—enabling exploration yet carrying the risk of extending destructive conflicts beyond the earth’s surface. The allure of flight beckons both wonder and caution.
[Discover the Flight Exhibition]
[Discover the Flight Exhibition]
Eco-Vision - Art for a Sustainable Tomorrow
When we inhabit our world, we unfortunately damage the environment around us. That is why it is important that we should have a sustainable vision for the future. We encourage artists to weave together imagination and ecological consciousness into a diverse array of artistic expressions. Whether through showcasing the beauty of the world we live in, or the ugly of what we have done to it, art has the power to visualise concepts of environmental justice for their audience. We hope to inspire artists to evaluate the interconnected relationship between humanity and the natural world, shaping eco-visions that will leave a long-lasting impact for the generations to come.
[Discover the Eco-Vision Exhibition]
Untold Stories - Art for the Unsung Heroes
When we observe our surroundings, there are many stories that are yet to be told. We invite creators to delve into unexplored narratives through their artistic practices. As artists, we break barriers, we challenge conventions, we illuminate the unseen aspects of human experience. As an international art festival, we understand artists’ ambitions and commit to uncovering and presenting these hidden and overlooked voices. We hope that these impactful stories of unsung heroes and underrepresented groups will no longer be untold.
[Discover the Untold Stories Exhibition]
Masterclasses
Prano Bailey-Bond is a director and writer who grew up on a diet of Twin Peaks in the depths of a strange Welsh community. Named a BAFTA Breakthrough, a ‘Director to Watch’ by Variety, and a Screen International ‘Star of Tomorrow’, Prano’s strong body of work invokes imaginative worlds, fusing a dark vocabulary with eerie allure.
Her feature debut CENSOR (2021), starring Niamh Algar (The Virtues, Raised by Wolves) and backed by Film4, the BFI and Ffilm Cymru Wales, had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, and in Europe at the Berlinale. CENSOR was nominated for 9 BIFA’s and collected multiple awards including the Méliès d’Or at Sitges Film Festival. Prano was selected as one of the Observer’s ‘Faces of the Year’ 2022, whilst CENSOR had its own cover feature in Sight & Sound, and was voted for by critics as one of the best British films of the 21st Century.
Her feature debut CENSOR (2021), starring Niamh Algar (The Virtues, Raised by Wolves) and backed by Film4, the BFI and Ffilm Cymru Wales, had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, and in Europe at the Berlinale. CENSOR was nominated for 9 BIFA’s and collected multiple awards including the Méliès d’Or at Sitges Film Festival. Prano was selected as one of the Observer’s ‘Faces of the Year’ 2022, whilst CENSOR had its own cover feature in Sight & Sound, and was voted for by critics as one of the best British films of the 21st Century.
Leo Mercer is a multi-disciplinary artist, working across theatre, music and creative technology. With his company leo&hyde, he creates music theatre, outdoor projections, VR experiences and sound installations, with a leaning to themes of pop culture (The Marriage of Kim K; Pop Art), modern love (GUY; Double Life VR) and life with modern technology (The VR Diary of Attica Lehane; The Coffee Shop Musical).
Leo studied at the University of Manchester and University of Oxford. Since then, his work has been performed nationwide, including commissions from the National Theatre and The Lowry. Outside of musical theatre, he works as a freelancer in VR. He was creative producer for the 2121 Museum of Plastic for COP26, which was nominated for a Social Innovation award at the International VR Awards 2022.
Leo studied at the University of Manchester and University of Oxford. Since then, his work has been performed nationwide, including commissions from the National Theatre and The Lowry. Outside of musical theatre, he works as a freelancer in VR. He was creative producer for the 2121 Museum of Plastic for COP26, which was nominated for a Social Innovation award at the International VR Awards 2022.
Professor Andrew Quick studied English and Philosophy at Newcastle University and trained as a theatre director at the Sherman Theatre in Cardiff in 1984. Having worked professionally in making and touring experimental performance, he returned to academic study in 1989, completing a PhD investigating the histories and languages of contemporary British experimental performance at Bristol University. He has been teaching at Lancaster since 1991, where he teaches undergraduate courses in the areas of Contemporary Performance as well as teaching on practical units. Quick is also a founder member and co-artistic director of imitating the dog, an Arts Council NPO funded performance company that tours nationally and internationally.
Anne Henderson is Co-Founder, Director & Programmer of The Bay International Film Festival.
Anna is an Award-winning screenwriter and filmmaker with numerous credits in film and TV in both Russia and the UK. She is currently developing a feature film “The Punishment” which is the feature length sequel of her PhD research short film “Transgressing”. The films she creates focus on individuals confronting moral challenges, ethical dilemmas, social inequality, and the fight for human rights. Her pursuit of a filmmaking career is rooted in her strong belief in the impact and, therefore, the responsibility of cinema.
Anna is an Award-winning screenwriter and filmmaker with numerous credits in film and TV in both Russia and the UK. She is currently developing a feature film “The Punishment” which is the feature length sequel of her PhD research short film “Transgressing”. The films she creates focus on individuals confronting moral challenges, ethical dilemmas, social inequality, and the fight for human rights. Her pursuit of a filmmaking career is rooted in her strong belief in the impact and, therefore, the responsibility of cinema.