Only in its second year, Bournemouth Emerging Arts Fringe (BEAF) is gearing up for a very busy 18 days this Autumn. Between 15th October – 1st November 2015 the town centre and suburbs will be home to Bournemouth’s largest ever open-access multi-art form festival. Run by a dedicated team of volunteers, the festival offers an unmatched platform for local artists and a diverse range of events for locals to enjoy.
“One of the things that makes this festival unique is that anyone who wants to show their work during the festival can. We received over 170 proposals from both local artists and creatives with a connection to the town. The fringe represents the diverse range of voices and art forms that make our community great. For many artists, this could be the most significant platform opportunity they’ve had to date. ” Festival Coordinator, David Nock, tells us.
Last year’s festival was delivered on a shoe-string budget. This year the volunteer team behind the event are reaching out to the community for donations. A crowdfunding campaign seeks to raise £2,500 by September 12th. Renowned contemporary artist, Stuart Semple, has donated an original signed print in support of developing opportunities for other artists in his home county of Dorset. Other perks available to investors include discounts from a selection of local businesses, hand delivered festival brochures and BEAF branded t-shirts and tote bags.
There will also be a 2-day fundraising event at 60 Million Postcards over the August Bank Holiday weekend, 29-30 August, with DJs, stalls, spoken word, workshops, raffles and more between 1-9pm each day.
“We want to celebrate the extraordinary talent we have in this area and to bring as many people as we can together to enjoy it. Last year’s festival showed just how much potential there is for an event like this in the town. We really hope that with community and local business support we can continue to grow the festival and create something really remarkable for Bournemouth.”
Danielle Rose
