Through the theme of ‘Vessels’, Estuary 2025 looks beyond the boats and ships that move in and out of the Thames Estuary, to think about the festival itself as a vessel – exploring people’s complex and changing relationship to this unique landscape.
Taking place every four years across the South Essex and North Kent coastlines the festival explores the rich and often overlooked stories of estuary people and places, creating extraordinary arts experiences inspired by unexpected places. Originally conceived and programmed by Metal in 2016 as a catalyst to embed long-term change in the perceptions and visibility of the region, this third edition of the festival marks its first as an independent arts organisation.
Estuary 2025 is a vessel too, bringing newly commissioned artworks to forge new connections and resurrect old ones: it is only relatively recently that rivers have been seen as barriers that need to be crossed by land – for much more of their history they have been waterborne thoroughfares – the primary way to meet and interact.
At the heart of the programme is a love letter both to this remarkable region that has inspired artists for millennia and to our fantastic collaborators from the Estuary – from youth clubs and yacht clubs to brass bands and dancers who have joined us in the journey to realising this festival.”
ANCHORED (21 June, Anchor Wharf, Chatham Historic Dockyard)
A collaboration between LV21, a light vessel, and Scarabeus Aerial Theatre, Estuary 2025 presents the world premiere of ANCHORED, a site responsive outdoor performance inhabiting the body and soul of the vessel while creating lineage with the surroundings. Aerial performers, through a highly visual and impactful choreography enhanced by an atmospheric soundtrack and a bespoke lighting design, inhabit various outdoor upper deck and infrastructure elements of the ship.
As the Midsummer sun sets beyond the horizon, they create a series of moving images and sequences at height, aimed at broadening and shifting conventional perspectives, using the unique features of the historic vessel.
SALT (27 & 28 June, Concord Beach Eastern Esplanade)
SALT is a new climate-responsive performance from Arbonauts – artist duo Helen Galliano and Dimitri Launder. Bringing their distinct process of working intensively with communities through movement and site, SALT is a live event created for and performed in the water of a tidal pool on Canvey Island.
In the shadow of a sea wall, alongside the rhythm of daily tides, SALT is performed by a dynamic, intergenerational group of over 20 performers including local open-water swimmers who took part in SILT (2021) and students from BA Physical Theatre course at East 15 Acting School.
