Time for a Hastings Rebrand
BECCY MCCRAY, artist-activist, introduces We Are A Sea (28-29 Sept), a fun weekend of free activities celebrating the local heroes who help keep our sea and shoreline clean, safe, and welcoming.
What is ‘the natural world’, when over half of our own body is H2O? How can we be separate from nature if we are nature? Every second breath we take, anywhere in the world, is oxygen that comes from phytoplankton – microscopic plants drifting in the ocean. 50-85% of the oxygen we breathe is created by these tiny creatures.
Here in Hastings, the sea is deeply embedded into our daily emotions, cultural heritage and tied intrinsically to our wellbeing. And yet, our little patch of ocean suffers from geopolitical bigotry, plastic pollution, degradation of biodiversity, coastal erosion – and yes, sewage.
We may not be receiving much help from the government or the water companies, but at grassroots level there are hundreds of heroes already working hard to help keep our seas and beaches clean, healthy, safe and welcoming. By the people, for the people, We Are A Sea is a decentralised festival, taking place in ‘action hubs’ located along the seafront. Programmed in partnership with the community. The festival creates critical connections between the varied folk working to better our oceans and beaches, whilst bridging social and cultural divides. Through sharing our relationships with the ocean, We Are A Sea is a symbol of solidarity, cooperation and resistance. Sometimes the ripples may feel small – but together we make waves.
We Are A Sea brings diverse groups and individuals together under a new headline for Hastings; one which unites our community, is more fitting and relevant than anything 1066-related, and one which reflects the huge amounts of hope bubbling away within our town. Instead of looking back 1,000 years, it invites us to look forward. Like the sea, we are more than the sum of our parts: a powerful force of hope and possibility.
The festival celebrates the local heroes through a curated weekend of themed events: from swimming, storytelling, murals, creative workshops, beach cleans and yoga to printmaking, boating, sea shanties, moonlight cinema, bike rides (including an illuminated bike ride at 6pm on Sat 28 Sept from Hastings Bike Project), and much more! The focus will be on fun and accessibility for all. A chance to join in and get to know some of the amazing things that happen in this town.
Designed to be inclusive, the entire programme will be free for all, with complimentary shuttle buses from Hollington and Ore for those who might have access issues – please get in touch to book a space.
We Are A Sea is an idea which belongs to us all. After the event the brand assets will be open-sourced, released into the wild, a gift to the people of Hastings.
As the Māori people say: “I am the river, the river is me.” We are an ecosystem within a much, much larger system where ‘me’ really means ‘we’. We Are A Sea.
Fringe events welcome! If you are a seafront venue and want to get involved or are an organisation or individual planning something sea-related over the weekend of 28-29 September, get in touch! [email protected]. Surf to weareasea.net for the full programme (live 30 Aug) #WEAREASEA #community #possibility #solidarity.
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