23 days of art, music, literature and film celebrating the Thames Estuary
Spring 2021
We are delighted to announce that the festival will now run from Saturday 22 May to Sunday 13 June 2021.
Read the announcement here.
Estuary is a festival developed by Metal (South Essex) and Cement Fields (North Kent) as a cultural celebration of the spectacular Thames Estuary region across both the north and south shorelines and on the river itself. The inaugral festival – Estuary 2016 – took place over 16 days in September and October 2016 with a curated programme of art, literature, music and film. A mix of new and existing works pulled together powerful themes resonant to the place, its landscape, history and communities and were presented in significant, historic and unusual venues along the 40 miles of Essex and Kent shorelines.
“A festival that brilliantly matches the intention to the amazing site and constantly keeps culture and the community / social in perfect balance - so much so that I think anyone who encountered it will now think of the festival as much as the place (as part of the place) when the word Estuary comes to mind.” Audience Feedback, Estuary 2016
We are proud to share with you our headline statistics for the reach and response to Estuary 2016:-
● 23.7 million people reached through press and media
● 101,179 live audiences
● 265 artists
● 55 events
● 32 schools / 1157 school pupils
● 16 days of art, literature, music and film
● 7 key venues
Press coverage can be found here
A PDF of the full programme can be downloaded here
Photo credit: Waterborne by French & Mottershead
Invitation to emerging producers, curators, artists/creative practitioners and organisations.
Read more
England’s Creative Coast: Waterfronts, a series of art commissions connecting the outstanding arts organisations and landscape along the South East coast.
Read more
JOB OPPORTUNITY Marketing and Partnerships Freelance contract – Estuary 2020 Festival
Read more
Following a UK-wide open call, six artists have been selected to take part in the Estuary 2016 Culture LAB in May, followed by a commission to create work for the festival in September.
Read more
Caroline is coming for a residency at Metal to develop her Estuary performance, Raga Dawn. It's a sunrise vocal performance to be performed outdoors from the last hours of night until the very early morning.
Read more
The acclaimed US film maker Jem Cohen has been in Southend this week, staying at Metal and filming out in the landscape of South Essex to create his brand new work for Estuary 2016.
Read more
Metal at Chalkwell Hall
Chalkwell Avenue
Southend-on-Sea
SS0 8NB
T: +44 (0) 01702 470700
www.metalculture.com
Cement Fields
School of Arts
Jarman building
The University of Kent
Canterbury CT2 7UG
T: +44 (0) 01227 824350
Website designed and built by
