Last summer saw the second annual Sand, Sea and Spray urban art weekend which is organised and curated by Robin Ross. The event included a vast array of talent ranging from local to (worldwide) established artists. There was no need to be an urban art enthusiast to enjoy any of the events or the work left behind for the public to enjoy all year round.
As well as the live painting which took place over various locations throughout the town and school, we had a multitude of other happenings such as street dancing, live DJ’s, an artists’ Questions and Answers session in the beautiful Theatre Bar at the Winter Gardens, a school arts competition and live music with a fashion show in The Olympia.
Since this is Robin’s event I asked him how he felt it all went.
Caroline: Robin, what were the highlights of this years Sand, Sea and Spray for you?
Robin: The whole (expletive removed) event was a highlight for me, it was all superb fun.
CF: And what do you think has been achieved by painting on the walls of Blackpool?
RR: We brought art to a much wider audience, and we put Blackpool on the worldwide art map.
C.F: How did you feel the populace of Blackpool responded to the weekend’s events?
R.R: They showed their support with their feet, by supporting the event in their thousands. Supported by local arts folks and by an army of volunteers we know we have affected people’s lives in a positive and creative way. One volunteer in particular said it had changed their life and brought something out in them that they hadn’t realised was there before.
C.F: Who is this for? Do you have an age-range in mind?
R.R: No, and I never have done because this project fulfils one of the Arts Councils mantras: ‘art for all’ and ours is free! I think it could be argued that with the South Pomenade and the Comedy Carpet, the Grundy and urban art around Blackpool that this town has the most free art in the country!
Although the weather may have been a little dissuasive at times, people still arrived in their droves to witness the live painting for themselves. For me, one of my favourite highlights was having to assist an artist in a cherry picker at a great height in the wind and rain as the wet bricks were preventing the artist’s stencil tape from adhering to the wall and with the wind on top it was impossible for him to hold the stencil one-handed and spray his paint. Although I’m not very good with heights, the artist didn’t know how to work the machinery properly and the rain quickly became torrential, it was really great fun (although I’ve never been so happy to be back on stable ground!) and I can’t wait to do it all again for a third time next June.
Next year’s information will soon by available on the website.
