Discover top art and design along Britain’s coast
Land on Britain’s shores for thrilling art installations bursting with immersive aquatic giants, seaside tales and poignant moments. From taking to shoreside cultural hubs for a journey through design, to hands-on imaginative artsy workshops – now’s the time for visitors to get stuck into Britain’s creative coast. From inventive to inspired and thought-provoking pieces – here’s where visitors can get their artistic fix along Britain’s coast.
A looming monster
Weston-super-Mare’s coastline welcomes a giant monster to its shores in summer 2022. Once housed in the choppy waters of the North Sea, a decommissioned off-shore oil rig is gaining a new lease of life as it’s re-envisioned as a sustainable art installation. As part of UNBOXED, See Monster will champion a brighter, greener future, and visitors can get an inside perspective by exploring the inner workings of the beautiful beast. Weave through secret routes, a wild garden, solar trees, wind turbines and even a 12-metre waterfall. Find See Monster on the shoreline from late August (exact date TBC). Weston-super-Mare is a 30-minute train journey from Bristol.
The people of our shores
Venture out on a stroll across Crosby beach and visitors will discover eye-catching human figures staring out to the horizon. Eerily enticing, the 100 cast-iron life-size figures of Antony Gormley’s ‘Another Place’ installation hug the shoreline for over 3km. Modelled on the sculptor’s own body, the figures are said to represent feelings of sadness and hope moving to ‘Another Place’.
While at the beach, visitors can harness the power of the wind on a sailing adventure. Alternatively, they can get the adrenaline pumping on a jet ski, or take to the water aboard a kayak at Crosby Lakeside Adventure Centre.
Visitors can catch the train from Liverpool Central Station to Blundellsands-and-Crosby, which is a short walk from the art installation. The statues can be enjoyed all year-round – just remember to wrap up warm in the winter and to stay close to the promenade.
An artsy exploration
Dip into eclectic art and thought-provoking sculptures along England’s Creative Coast. Spanning more than 1,400km of South East coastline, visitors can dive into Folkstone’s Creative Quarter, hit up exhibitions at Towner Eastbourne, or immerse themselves in Beecroft Art Gallery in Southend-On-Sea. Take the opportunity to up the antics with a paddleboarding ride out on Margate’s waters, or a spot of kitesurfing in Hastings.
But for an adventure through the arts, visitors can test their navigation skills with the world’s first artistic GeoTour. Following a GPS, they can use Geocaching to locate seven inspiring artworks, while keeping an eye out for hidden seaside tales and rewards in every cache. Find Jasleen Kaur’s nod to migration with ‘The first thing I did was kiss the ground’ sculpture in Gravesend, and in Eastbourne, locate Mariana Castillo Deball’s chalk geoglyph ‘Walking through the town’.
Tour our coastal galleries
Britain’s cities are cultural hotspots for everything from classy artworks to contemporary designs and modern sculptures. From science to art, the National Museum Cardiff explores the evolution of Wales, displaying antique ceramics, paintings, sculptures and even real meteors!
Or visitors can uncover artefacts at the V&A in Dundee. They can immerse themselves in nature at the Community Garden, or get artsy at workshops. Look out for the exhibition ‘Sincerely, Valentines’, which tells the tales of Scotland’s pioneering photographers – find it in the V&A until January 2023.
At Liverpool’s iconic Albert Dock, head to Tate Liverpool for a splash of art infused inspiration in the city. For the insider scoop, discover the gallery on a guided tour – held daily – where visitors will learn about the artists and stories behind the collections, as well as seeing a unique side to the gallery.