‘Little Waterfronts’ programme announced and miniature live performances return

Eight artistic ‘moments’ encapsulating the magic of the biggest event in the Hartlepool calendar will be taking place throughout the month of June in both the real and digital world, alongside a programme of digital activity that will be released via the Festival’s social media.

“After a challenging year of no joy, no hope and no events we are beyond excited to bring a little bit of Waterfront Magic to the month of June!” says Aaron Bowman, Hartlepool Waterfront Festival Organiser at Hartlepool Borough Council.

The ‘Little Waterfronts’ programme will be jam-packed with joyous ‘moments’ the whole family can enjoy safely both outdoors and digitally.

Time

What day is it, again? With the last year-and-a-bit feeling like a series of ‘Blursdays’, how people spend their time has dramatically changed.

In Time, three artists will perform reflective spoken word pieces directly to camera. Immersive artist Izaak Gledhill has spent the last year learning the ins and outs of embroidery. His piece is inspired by HMS Trincomalee. Artist Lisa Lovebucket goes for a walk around the Hartlepool Marina and Hartlepool lad, Broccan Tyzack-Carlin brings the Wesley back to life.

The videos will be released on Friday 4th June, Friday 11th June and Friday 18th June.

The Drag Queens

Festival favourites and good time girls, Bonnie and The Bonnettes, will take over Ward Jackson Park on 5th and 6th June with Drag, Wigs and pop-up lip sync performances! Visitors are invited to pull up a deckchair and re-live some of their classic moments before they take to the Moon Stage for this year’s festival in August! 

The Mixtape

On four consecutive Saturday’s in June (5th, 12th, 19th, 26th) the town’s Church Square area will be fully immersed in a sea of sound from emerging musical artists who make up the bill at August’s festival. A seven-track compilation playlist will be amplified from the lamppost speakers in the town’s Cultural Quarter. Visitors can scan QR codes on the lampposts to access the playlist on Spotify, and a limited number of free CDs are available from Hartlepool Art Gallery.

The Party

On 12th -13th June, the Waterfront Festival organisers are throwing an outdoor pop-up party to remember, when Cabaret Performer, Live Artist and Roller-Skater extraordinaire, Symoné and her band of merry performers will take over the Headland prom, in a world where the seventies are real again, where everyone is allowed to be their true self and no outfit is ‘too much’!

The Sea

When the sun rises over Seaton Carew on Saturday 19th June, early birds out for their morning stroll will discover that the 1.5mile shore is lined with a line of sandcastles in a temporary installation that will be left for the sea to consume as they are invited on a miniature pilgrimage to nowhere. Time and tide wait for no man.

The Spirits

People are invited to step back in time and join the ‘most unique’ heritage walk they’ll ever witness when tales of the past come to life. Many of the tales told by the esteemed tour guides as they embark on a Heritage Tour of the Headland are shocking, some are salacious and some of them may even be true. Audiences are asked to make up their own minds!

Two guided tours will take place on the 26th June at 6.30pm and 8.30pm. Due to COVID19 restrictions, the capacity is limited.  Tickets are on a Pay What You Decide basis and can be found here - www.hartlepoolwaterfrontfestival.com

The Dreamers

A mysterious folk tale creature will be created, brought to life and sent out into the world on the 26th June in a project involving a group of young creatives, alongside Greener Lavelle’s writer and performer Victoria Jackson and Kim McDermattroe who created the iconic ‘Hartlepool Monkey’ carnival structure which has previously been paraded through town.

The Women

Part One -  21st June – Voices of the Creek

Five female voices interweave – a mother and daughter sing together about growing up female, and the frustrations and consolations of family and rootedness.

Available as a video, filmed on and around North Gare and Greatham Creek, and as a downloadable audio-walk starting from North Gare car park. Written and performed by Kirsten Luckins, Sarah Crutwell, Ann Cuthbert, Dianne Casey and Susie McComb of the Tees Women Poets.

Part Two - 25th June – The High Priestess

A new commission responding to women in the Tarot, and women in the ancient history of Hartlepool – Abbess Hilda, the High Priestess, delivered as a site-specific audio experience.

In addition to the ‘Little Waterfronts’, Hartlepool Waterfront Festival have worked with Creative Producers BloomInArt to commission eight, three minute films to inspire people to have fun and see the world through an artist’s eye.  Whether it’s teaching people the lyrics to the morning bird song, learning the moves to a sand dance or making paint brushes using found materials, each video is designed to inspire creativity, in ways that don’t require a set of watercolours or a trombone.

The eight films will be released across the month of June via Hartlepool Waterfront Festival’s social media.

This year’s Hartlepool Waterfront Festival will make its return on the weekend of 28th - 29th August and will feature a 2-day programme of arts, music and entertainment. For more information about ‘Little Waterfronts’ and Hartlepool Waterfront Festival please visit www.hartlepoolwaterfrontfestival.com and www.facebook.com/HartlepoolWaterfrontFestival.

This Project is funded by Arts Council England and DCMS as part of the Cultural Recovery Fund.