Celebrating the stories, places and people of the Thames Estuary with events across the region.
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 (21st - 29th June) 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.
The festival coincides with both spring and neap tides which offers the unique opportunity to engage with the Thames Estuary on both land and water. Projects such as Changing Tides, SALT, Anchored and Thought Forms, take place on the water of the Estuary with performances on a sailing barge, in tidal pools and in a nineteenth century military fort,, whereas up and down the coastline of the Estuary, land projects such as Call me Back!, and Sleeping with the Dead reimagine a giant BT phone box and contemplate a relocated mass grave.
Thea Behrman, Artistic Director and CEO said: “Our theme for this edition is ‘Vessels’, which in the context of the Thames Estuary might first conjure pictures of boats and ships – the vessels that transport so much in and out of this region. But the people, flora and fauna of the area are vessels too: carriers of ideas and aspirations, stories and myths, memories from the past and hopes for the future.
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 the 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.”
Full Programme details can be found here: Events | Estuary 2025
Further Information: Estuary Festival 2021 in Essex, London and Kent