Brickwrecks: Sunken Ships in LEGO Bricks

Explore the tales of iconic shipwrecks through this exhibition of intricate, large-scale LEGO® models, designed by Certified Professional Ryan “The Brickman” McNaught.

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Tidings (Tide 1: June 2025: Tilbury)

Discover the artefacts of the project Tidings, in the location that inspired their creation. This is the first of a series of events that mark several stages of the project, a collaboration between photgrapher Daniel Benson, photographer, writer and researcher Matthew Crowley and designer/critical practitioner Liam Morrow.

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Weeds In Kent

An opportunity to see the collaborative, long-term work of 6 artists - a subtle and detailed silk patchwork made of plant rubbings and additional stitch and beadwork, depicting many of the familiar weeds of a specific area of Kent.

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Hulked sound walk

Created by writer Jeremy Scott and sound artist Anna Braithwaite, this sound walk along a stretch of the Thames in Kent offers stories, poems, songs and music about the Thames Barges. It includes contributions from primary school students, members of a local choir, and people from the local Thames Barge community.

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Sightings of Home G&T 2025

Experience an outdoor installation of paper sails flying on either side of the Thames.

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Routes to Protest: the River, Vessels and People of 1381

Join 'The People of 1381' for an artist-led, one-day workshop to discover their innovative research project on the Peasants' Revolt of 1381. Workshops participants will record their own messages about the river and its vessels for broadcast via a sound installation.

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Moving Down the Estuary

A solo exhibition by Gabi Mind with painting, collage and cyanotype which maps a lifelong migration down the estuary, from London to Whitstable. The artist is also offering two children' and young people's workshops around ideas of climate change.

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Womb

A series of performance workshops by artist Erena Dellaporta where children and adults are encouraged to work collaboratively with the artist around the idea of 'den'. Through play, you will explore the idea of a safe place at home, but also the value of outdoor spaces, including beaches, for children to play.

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Pocket Worlds

The project explores the variety of colours and textures comprising of different soil types currently being unearthed during an extensive field study of Essex. Through the artist's individual research and actions, and public workshops with sphere making using locally source soil.

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The Scene by the Sea

Exhibition celebrating the tenth anniversary of the creation of The Thames Group of Artists

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A Smile For Her

Shot against the backdrop of a muddy foreshore of the Thames Estuary, A Smile For Her is a short film exploring themes of grief and loss, family and facing life uncertainty.

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Marshy Mud Flats and the Call of the Curlew

A project around artist Fiona Spirals' collages and paintings on the endangered, rich biodiversity of the North Kent Marshes. It includes an exhibition accompanied by a dedicated soundscape, a workshop, a talk and the opportunity to meet and greet the artist-in-residence.

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Cape Point

A collection of poems available to read online, culminating in the publication of a zine at the end of the summer by poet and writer Rachel Gambling. The author asks questions about her identity and position as a third-generation South African immigrant, bisexual, and from Coloured heritage.

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Verses & Waves

Verses & Waves is a collaborative exhibition with photography works by Maria Hickey and poems by Pablo Giles that were inspired by Maria's images of the Estuary. The photographs and poems are displayed alongside each other.

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The Essex Ways

You’re invited to join one of James’ story walks in the Castle Point area, taking place in Canvey Wick Nature Reserve and Hadleigh Country Park.

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Without Boundaries - Exhibition

An exhibition of contemporary mixed media art, with evocative and strong links to themes of memory, nature and the Estuary. Presented at HOFS, a vibrant arts centre at the heart of the community, located in the iconic former fire station at the gateway to the town of Hadleigh, Essex.

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Estuary Dreams

Join two film screenings in Basildon and Chalkwell of Estuary Dreams – a community experimental storytelling project led by neurodivergent Basildon filmmaker and artist Aaron Shrimpton. This edition of Estuary Dreams features around 20 participants, including emerging artists, recent graduates, or creatives outside traditional paths.

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ARKhive: Tide Marks & The Seafort Project

Meet Stephen Turner in his studio at Chatham Dockyards, for two exclusive events that run through some key moments of his life and work. You will find out about his practice of living alone in odd abandoned places for long periods; see photographs and artworks on paper; handle of objects found in the river, including Roman pottery.

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In Plain Sight: Unseen

Discover the work of two artists who have been working for a decade on the transformative power of female ageing. Join them for a walk which includes scripted interludes, adding your own unique image of a mythical creature to a large map of the Island, and making props and costumes before joining the procession.

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51ZERO/MAPP: MEDWAY SUPERSTARS

Medway Superstars premieres 10 striking filmed portraits highlighting the creative talents of artists based in Medway, Kent. Directed by 51zero Artistic Director, Margherita Gramegna and funded by Arts Council England, the Medway Superstars films capture the region’s artistic energy.

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Journey & Found

Follow artist Annie Strachan on her bike while they fetch discarded waste material and make impermanent sculptures along the Thames path. Find the sculptures' locations through an interactive online map.

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To Have and To Hold [Preview]

A preview screening of the final film about a community project centred around the UK’s largest concrete garden ornament manufacturer, Whelans Garden Ornaments, and their contribution to the living heritage of the Estuary.

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Words from the Sphere

Join writers Lucia Dove, Jessica Taggart Rose, Gareth Evans, Daniel Kramb and many more to be announced for the launch of 'the poetry bench'. The stacked timber structure of the bench has a selection of Daniel Kramb’s 'Little Estuaries' engraved by wood-burning artist Fawn Brinkley.

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Beach School Safari

Get your little ones ready for a children-led session in the tidal pool at Shoeburyness. Through a range of activities and games, they will learn to value their local environment. They will also learn about ecological sustainability with links to the curriculum.

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The Boundary Lines

A poetic field walk through Two Tree Island down to Borrowdyke in South Essex, England.

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Will I Find Treasure on Canvey Island?

Join our pirate captain as she sails along the estuary; braving the waves and following the clues to uncover a long-lost treasure! Will she find it on Canvey?!

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Estuary Festival is supported by

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