b-side festival 2021
A thousand ideas, one amazing island.
Portland, Dorset, UK | 09 - 12 Sept 2021
b-side festival returned in Sept 2021, showcasing the very best in contemporary art made in response to the beautiful and intriguing Isle of Portland.
In March 2020 we – along with millions of others – closed our project space's doors. An unknown and then ever-expanding lockdown way of life commenced. But amongst the uncertainty we noticed, people were making things. In this unprecedented year more than ever, we wanted to share with visitors the extraordinary wealth of witty, poignant, and wonderful artwork created by Portland residents alongside our commissioned artists.
Artists in the 2021 festival drew inspiration from the Island's landscape, community, and history, as well as our relationship to places elsewhere. These are all components of b-side's theme Common Lands, where we research and creatively respond to our relationship to Portland as a microcosm of global themes such as land access, environmental change, biodiversity, and the history and future of migration.
Take a look at our Festival film, photographs and programme below to see what happened during four magical days on Portland in Sept 2021.
A glorious round up of b-side festival 2021
b-side festival 2021
Photos by Paul Box, Brendan Buesnel and Pete Millson. For all images and photo credits please visit our Flickr album HERE
'The Portland Office of Imaginary History Mobility Scooter Safari' by Alistair Gentry
'The Portland Office of Imaginary History Mobility Scooter Safari' by Alistair Gentry
Cyanotype Workshop with photographer Angela Heron
Cyanotype Workshop with photographer Angela Heron
Cyanotype Workshop with photographer Angela Heron
Cyanotype Workshop with photographer Angela Heron
'Of Sea and Stone' a partnership project with Portland Museum by Dan Shorten and Guildhall Live Events
'Of Sea and Stone' a partnership project with Portland Museum by Dan Shorten and Guildhall Live Events
'Of Sea and Stone' a partnership project with Portland Museum by Dan Shorten and Guildhall Live Events
'Of Sea and Stone' a partnership project with Portland Museum by Dan Shorten and Guildhall Live Events
'Without a Trace' workshop by Daniela Nofal
'Without a Trace' workshop by Daniela Nofal
'Without a Trace' workshop by Daniela Nofal
'Fringe Benefits' resident artists
'Fringe Benefits' resident artists
'Fringe Benefits' resident artists
'Harvest Shorts' film programme by Lower Hewood Farm
'Heart of Stone' Community Play
'Heart of Stone' Community Play
'Heart of Stone' Community Play
'Heart of Stone' Community Play
'Digging Devices - Our Common Tools' by Katie Surridge
'Digging Devices - Our Common Tools' by Katie Surridge
'Stone Grove' by Lotte Scott
'Stone Grove' by Lotte Scott
'In Progress' by b-side New Artists group
'Lockdown Art' exhibition by Portland residents
'Lockdown Art' exhibition by Portland residents
Some of the 'Lockdown Art' artists
Amy, Bobbi and Maddi from the b-side New Curators
'Opes and Dreams' walks and pop up performances by Promenade
'Opes and Dreams' walks and pop up performances by Promenade
'The Lands Heart is Greater Than Its Map' by Olivia Furber and Ramzi Maqdisi
Visitors arrive at the Outdoor Cinema at Pennsylvania Castle
The Light House by Sophie Fretwell
'The Outstanding Unnatural Beauty Parlour' by Sadie Hennessy
'The Outstanding Unnatural Beauty Parlour' by Sadie Hennessy
'Talkland Bill' by Richard DeDomenici
'Tourist' an audio intervention on the No 1 Bus by Anna Brownsted
'Tourist' an audio intervention on the No 1 Bus by Anna Brownsted
'The Last Landscape' exhibition at The Pulpit Inn
'Earthlings Assemble' projections by Wildworks at Portland Bird Observatory
The Big Portland Parade
The Big Portland Parade
The Big Portland Parade
Weymouth Concert Brass at The Big Portland Parade
Free festival trishaw tours provided by Cycling Without Age
'1865' by Ilona Skladzien at St Georges Church
Festival 2021
Festival Guide
Take a look at our 2021 Guide. Download the festival map and calendar, or you can view the full festival guide (PDF 6.8Mb) using the link below.
Project events
Festival 2021
That Other Place
Explore That Other Place, a mirror image of the Isle of Portland, a parallel universe - but not the same.
