Something big is rolling in with the tide, and no, it’s not just another container ship. The massive contemporary arts festival, Estuary 2025 – Vessels, is set to return from 21 – 29 June 2025, bringing a wave of boundary-pushing performances, installations, and thought-provoking experiences to the Thames Estuary. This year, the festival goes beyond boats and barges, exploring the Estuary itself as a vessel for art, stories, and cultural shifts.
With a programme packed full of immersive theatre, experimental dance, and awe-inspiring installations, this edition promises a deep dive into the landscape, history, and people of South Essex and North Kent. Two major commissions have already been announced: a 30-dancer tidal performance on Canvey Island and a four-metre-high reimagined phone booth filled with the voices of local youth. The full lineup lands in April, but for now, here’s a taste of what to expect.
Salt: A Tidal Pool Transformed into a Stage
Picture this: A canopy of sky, a vast tidal pool, and thirty dancers moving through water, their movements shaped by the rhythm of the tide. Welcome to SALT, a site-specific performance by Arbonauts, the acclaimed multidisciplinary company blending theatre, dance, and installation.
Set in a tidal pool in South Essex, this ambitious piece will address rising sea levels and the climate crisis, using soundscapes recorded along the Estuary to create an eerie, atmospheric backdrop. The performance will mark the second chapter in Arbonauts’ Estuary journey, following their 2021 production, SILT, which left audiences mesmerised.
Expect fluid choreography, striking visuals, and an experience that merges natural elements with human expression in a way that only Arbonauts can deliver.
Who Am I? A Monument to Identity and Memory
What does a four-metre-high, 90s BT phone booth have to do with art? In the hands of muralist and artist Damilola Odusote, it becomes a vessel for connection, nostalgia, and self-discovery.
Titled WHO AM I?, this towering installation will tour different locations along the Estuary, featuring a striking interior mural and immersive audio recordings of local youth sharing their stories.
Odusote’s personal journey is deeply woven into this piece. Born to Nigerian parents and fostered by a Romany Gypsy family in Tilbury, Essex, he grew up navigating questions of identity, race, and belonging. This work reimagines a Tilbury phone booth that once served as a meeting point for his community, turning it into a powerful symbol of memory, communication, and the passage of time.
Visitors will be able to step inside, pick up the receiver, and listen to voices from the present reflecting on the past and shaping the future. This isn’t just an installation; it’s a portal into the lived experiences of Estuary residents.
A Festival as Vast as the Thames Itself
Estuary 2025 doesn’t just drop artworks into a gallery and call it a day. Instead, it transforms the entire region into a living, breathing, interactive cultural space, from South Essex to North Kent.
The festival has been redefining perceptions of the Thames Estuary since 2016, proving that this industrial, tidal, and often-overlooked landscape isn’t just a passageway for cargo—it’s a canvas for creativity.
For this third edition, over 54 partners, including Arts Council England and National Highways Designated Funds, have joined forces to bring the programme to life. Expect a lineup filled with unexpected art in unexpected places—from abandoned warehouses to sandy shores.
Get Ready for an Unmissable Cultural Voyage
Whether you’re into bold new dance, site-specific theatre, or installations that blur the line between reality and memory, Estuary 2025 is one festival that needs to be on your radar.
Tickets go on sale in April, and with past editions drawing massive crowds, you’ll want to act fast. Keep an eye on the official website for the full programme drop – https://www.estuaryfestival.com.
