DAY 5

27th July 2025

Blackpill Beach, Swansea

DYDD 5

27 Gorffennaf 2025

Traeth Blackpill, Mwmbwls

GWYL CERFLUN TRAETH 2025

Artists /Artistiaid:

SARA HOLDEN,

TINA MARIE CUNNINGHAM,

JENNY CHISHOLM

Photographer / Ffotograffydd Prosiect: PHIL HOLDEN

Our annual Beach Sculpture Festival continued its tour to Blackpill Beach on the edge of Mumbles which is a large sandy beach with views of the lighthouse and Bristol Channel. Blackpill beach is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in recognition of its importance for local and migratory wader birds who overwinter here and forage for food. Consequently, there is an abundance of different species of shells here such as cockle, mussell, oyster etc. that have been opened and eaten by the wader birds. The shells are eagerly collected by festival participants and used to decorate the sculptures that are dug out of the sand at the festival. Families and groups soon arrived at the beach to work with the artists and kept coming all day to create a wonderful display of sculptures across the beach, some of which are featured here together with participant and artist comments.

We made a whale and were very happy with it. It was a great event - free and the kids were not on electronics for once!

We have come to several of these festival days. We had such fun making great sculptures working with lovely people. Thank you!

We were extremel happy with our sculpture. It was a device free time with a very creative workshop! My children learnt about the different shells and seaweeds on the shore. It was a great festival.

Participants enjoyed foraging along the shoreline and expressed their wonder of patterned shells. They often managed themselves in groups to work together collecting resources to create their imagined art work inspired by the natural habitat to local sea creatures and bird life.

It was a very enjoyable event - the kids enjoyed being creative.

Thank you!

The groups were very enthusiastic and were inspired by previous works. The adults were just as much engaged as the children and so pleased they had been able to make it! Some had been with us previously and were just as excited!

Our Sand Lizard was awesome to make. We were very happy with it! We got lots of ideas from the artist and learnt information about the Lizard which was once extinct in Wales but has been reintroduced and needs help with conservation.

The artist encouraged us to try out different ideas and techniques for making the sculptures.

People's creativity and wellbeing was definitely enhanced through the Festival. Giving the groups the confidence to create art on their local beach and see it in a different way. They all seemed to have more of an understanding about how nature and art improves our wellbeing than in previous years, apparent especially with the adults on this workshop day. The sheer joy of mindfully placing shells and forgetting everything else was enjoyed by all ages.

Thank you to everyone for making our 21st annual Beach Sculpture Festival such a success once again.

THANK YOU TO OUR KIND SPONSORS FEATURED BELOW:
Diolch i bawb am wneud ein gwyl cerflunwaith flynyddol mor llwyddiant unwaith eto.

DIOLCH I'N EIN HYRWYDDION SY'N GWYBODAETH BOD

It was fun to see all the other sculptures too that people made as well as find out about local birds and sea life. Very worthwhile event - free family fun and very enjoyable!

We really enjoyed making the dolphin sculpture using all the shells that the birds had opened for food. It was FANTASTIC! Loved the marine life knowledge that the artists shared with us!

Participants asked questions and had open conversations about found shells and the birdlife on the far shoreline.

The artist gave us ideas and tips to make our sculpture.

It was a very enjoyable day for all the family.

We made a beautiful starfish sculpture. Our creativity and well being wasenhanced through the festival with the suggestions about design that was given by the artist.

We learnt about the migratory birds at Blackpill as we collected and used the shells thathad provided their food. Events like this are essential to inspire a love for the beach which in turn creates respect for it all!

A fabulous day at Blackpill Beach for the Beach Sculpture Festival Tour 2025! If you've loved it so far, you'll be pleased to hear that -

There is one more day to come at Rhosilli / Rhosili Beach during the summer - stay tuned to our website and our social media pages to find out when. Date to be announced soon!