Beach of Dreams

Beach of Dreams 2025 is a country-wide celebration of the UK coastline. And we’re thrilled to announce that MSL Projects has been awarded our very own stretch of seafront. We’ll be creating big art, making mischief, gathering communities and telling stories between Dungeness and Bulverhythe.

The people of Hastings and Rother have an amazing opportunity to take part in activities celebrating our very own coast and to become part of the international Beach of Dreams 2025 celebrations. MSL want to make sure everyone who wants to join in has the chance to.

Beach of Dreams 2025 is an unprecedented partnership of organisations across The UK and the R of I, bringing residents together with artists, scientists and other communities to explore their ever changing local coastline, take part in music, art, writing, singing or other activities and create something together. 

MSL Projects is the lead for the 30 mile stretch of coast from Dungeness to Bulverhythe and our pledge is to make sure as many community groups and individuals as possible can be part of Beach of Dreams, creating their own activities throughout 2024, leading up to the big celebration in May/June 2025. 

We are casting the net wide so that we can reach communities and individuals who would not normally access the coast, understand what they need to do so, and help them make it happen this time, and for future use. They’ll make art,  eat together and to build a long-lasting love of the place where waves meet shore, or cliffs plunge into the foam.

Throughout, we’ll be recording our process and building networks that will last.  We’ll be linking arms with local groups such as the Hastings Refugee Buddy Project, Seaview, and residents of Hastings who don’t regularly (or ever) visit the seaside to create, teach and celebrate together.

And we’ll build on this in 2025, as part of the much bigger five days of celebration.

We will spend the money finding people and groups who would like to take part in Beach of Dreams 2025, supporting them in developing their project ideas, introducing them to other groups, creatives and facilitators to assist them, sharing expertise, knowledge and learning. We will link up the groups from Hastings and Rother with the south east Beach of Dreams network and the national hub so that their projects can be part of the national celebrations in 2025.

This crowdfunder is doubly important as East Sussex County Council has chosen MSL’s crowdfunder campaign as one of its five Crowdfund East Sussex offers, pledging match funding for up to our first £5k and recognising the transformative work it could achieve for communities in East Sussex.

We want you to be involved. Would you help boost the project? East Sussex County Council has chosen our campaign as one of five that it will match fund up to £5000. Which means for every pound that you pledge, they’ll donate the same. But we only have a few short weeks – until the 29th of November – to find the money.

We have rewards on offer; chocolate, party invites, prints. Find out more at our crowd funder page.

Main imag: White Rock Theatre Company led by Charlie Abrahams spelling out Hastings’ Welcome to the World Deckchair image: Jeff Pitcher