b-side festival 2021

b-side > Projects > 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

1/54

'The Portland Office of Imaginary History Mobility Scooter Safari' by Alistair Gentry

2/54

Cyanotype Workshop with photographer Angela Heron

3/54

Cyanotype Workshop with photographer Angela Heron

4/54

Cyanotype Workshop with photographer Angela Heron

5/54

Cyanotype Workshop with photographer Angela Heron

6/54

'Of Sea and Stone' a partnership project with Portland Museum by Dan Shorten and Guildhall Live Events 

7/54

'Of Sea and Stone' a partnership project with Portland Museum by Dan Shorten and Guildhall Live Events 

8/54

'Of Sea and Stone' a partnership project with Portland Museum by Dan Shorten and Guildhall Live Events 

9/54

'Of Sea and Stone' a partnership project with Portland Museum by Dan Shorten and Guildhall Live Events 

10/54

'Without a Trace' workshop by Daniela Nofal

11/54

'Without a Trace' workshop by Daniela Nofal

12/54

'Without a Trace' workshop by Daniela Nofal

13/54

'Fringe Benefits' resident artists

14/54

'Fringe Benefits' resident artists

15/54

'Fringe Benefits' resident artists

16/54

'Harvest Shorts' film programme by Lower Hewood Farm

17/54

'Heart of Stone' Community Play

18/54

'Heart of Stone' Community Play

19/54

'Heart of Stone' Community Play

20/54

'Heart of Stone' Community Play

21/54

'Digging Devices - Our Common Tools' by Katie Surridge

22/54

'Digging Devices - Our Common Tools' by Katie Surridge

23/54
24/54

'Stone Grove' by Lotte Scott

25/54

'Stone Grove' by Lotte Scott

26/54

'In Progress' by b-side New Artists group

27/54

'Lockdown Art' exhibition by Portland residents

28/54

'Lockdown Art' exhibition by Portland residents

29/54

Some of the 'Lockdown Art' artists

30/54

Amy, Bobbi and Maddi from the b-side New Curators

31/54

'Opes and Dreams' walks and pop up performances by Promenade

32/54

'Opes and Dreams' walks and pop up performances by Promenade

33/54

'The Lands Heart is Greater Than Its Map' by Olivia Furber and Ramzi Maqdisi

34/54
35/54

Visitors arrive at the Outdoor Cinema at Pennsylvania Castle

36/54
37/54

The Light House by Sophie Fretwell

38/54

'The Outstanding Unnatural Beauty Parlour' by Sadie Hennessy

39/54

'The Outstanding Unnatural Beauty Parlour' by Sadie Hennessy

40/54

'Talkland Bill' by Richard DeDomenici

41/54

'Tourist' an audio intervention on the No 1 Bus by Anna Brownsted

42/54

'Tourist' an audio intervention on the No 1 Bus by Anna Brownsted

43/54

'The Last Landscape' exhibition at The Pulpit Inn

44/54
45/54

'Earthlings Assemble' projections by Wildworks at Portland Bird Observatory

46/54

The Big Portland Parade

47/54
48/54

The Big Portland Parade

49/54

The Big Portland Parade

50/54

Weymouth Concert Brass at The Big Portland Parade

51/54
52/54

Free festival trishaw tours provided by Cycling Without Age

53/54

'1865' by Ilona Skladzien at St Georges Church

54/54

Festival 2021

Festival Evaluation Report

View the festival evaluation report

 

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.

View the festival guide

View the festival access page

Festival Guide 2021

 

Project events

See all current events
An depiction of an ammonite using lights
Event

Of Sea and Stone

10 + 11 Sept 20.30 - 22.30

Church Ope
Portland

Of Sea & Stone is a 10-minute projection lightshow, set to music and presented on the side of Rufus Castle and part of the cliffs below

A stone with a child face painted onto it leaning against a rock in the landscape
Event

Here To Stay

Sat 11 Sept 11 - 6pm

Join the conversation 1- 2pm

The Old Higher Lighthouse
Portland

In 2018 Leni Dothan transported 200 Portland stones to London where they were exposed to the city’s pollution and then

a white minibus
Event

FREE FESTIVAL SHUTTLE BUS

11 Sept

St Georges Centre, Easton and The Pulpit, Portland Bill

Thanks to Island Community Action we are pleased to offer a FREE shuttle bus service between Easton and Portland Bill on Saturday 11 Sept.

An image of jellyfish with text saying "Earthlings Assemble!"
Event

Earthlings Assembly

11 Sept 11:00 - 16:00

St Georges Centre
Portland

Earthlings Assembly! Has been created to explore the diversity of life on Portland.

A group of people on mobility scooters
Event

The Portland Office for Imaginary History Mobility Scooter Tour

11 Sept 11:00 + 15:00

St Georges Centre
Portland

The Portland Office for Imaginary History is back!

Two people sitting at a table with pencils and paper
Event

Not Without a Trace

11 Sept 11:00 - 13:30 and 14:30 - 17:00

12 Sept 11:00 - 13:00 and 14:00 - 16:00

St George's Centre
Portland

Join Daniela to map, layer and trace the places, perspectives and viewpoints that are special to you and be part of a new meaningful map of Portland

A sign saying Restore Round Island Way
Event

Take a Walk with Portland Pathway Protectors

09 and 11 at 11am

See booking page for all info
Portland

Join the Portland Pathway Protectors for walks on paths around some of Portland's hidden gems, historic places, and natural wonders.

An image of a woman standing in front of a glitter fringe curtain decorated beauty salon, with a neon sign saying 'Unnatural"
Event

Outstanding Unnatural Beauty Parlour

11 Sept 11:00 - 18:00

Lobster Pot Cafe
Portland

Moving across the Island like a glamorous galleon of glitz we present the 'Unnatural Beauty Parlour'

examples of cyanotype process
Event

Cyanotype Workshop

11 Sept 11:00 - 13:00 and 14:00 - 16:00

St Georges Centre
Portland

Join in with this hands-on workshop with photographer Angela Heron.

Festival 2021

That Other Place

Explore That Other Place, a mirror image of the Isle of Portland, a parallel universe - but not the same.

Find out more

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