Hartlepool Waterfront Festival
Events Manager, Hartlepool Borough Council
From Local Event to Community Canvas; Breathing Life into Hartlepool’s Waterfront
From 2017 to 2022 I built a new maritime arts festival whilst working at Hartlepool Borough Council, as the Creative Producer, Programmer, and Event Manager for the Hartlepool Waterfront Festival, where I discovered a real passion for Outdoor Arts. I grew the festival from a typical local authority event into a beloved community arts festival that brought people together, celebrated Hartlepool’s heritage, and made our town’s public spaces come alive in new and exciting ways.
Artistic Vision and Outdoor Arts Programming
Outdoor Arts became my specialty and the heart of the festival. I loved working with talented artists from across disciplines to create vibrant installations and performances that invited everyone to engage with Hartlepool’s rich maritime history and see our familiar landscapes in fresh, imaginative ways. Through these experiences, we built a festival that was as much about celebrating our shared stories as it was about exploring new ideas, making each event a chance to connect with our town and each other.
Social Impact
Creating a welcoming and inclusive festival was always my priority. I worked closely with local groups to design programmes that were accessible to people of all ages and backgrounds, from interactive workshops to artist-led projects that truly reflected Hartlepool’s spirit. One of the most rewarding parts of my work was seeing how the festival opened doors for people to share their own creativity, bringing out voices and stories that made each event feel personal and memorable. We turned the festival into a meaningful gathering place where our community could feel seen, celebrated, and inspired.
Photography: Dave Charnley
Audience Development
The festival became known for its open, welcoming spirit, and I was thrilled to see audiences grow each year as more people from Hartlepool and beyond came to experience our unique outdoor arts programming. I focused on building an inclusive marketing approach to ensure that everyone felt invited to join in, helping the festival become a vibrant, joyful staple in Hartlepool’s cultural life.
Creativity for All
Ensuring that the festival was accessible and sustainable was important to me. I introduced a “Pay What You Decide” model to make it easy for anyone to participate, regardless of financial means, and transitioned to eco-friendly practices to help keep our impact on the environment low. It was a great experience working with local artists and suppliers to minimise our footprint, and it felt good knowing that our festival could be a model of mindful, community-centered art in action.
Programme Highlights
Reflecting on my years with the Hartlepool Waterfront Festival, I feel incredibly grateful for the opportunity to bring such creative magic to life. From an exhilarating mini-SIRF parade filling our streets with music and movement to the sight of La Baleine, a mechanical whale from Luxour Spectacle in France, gracefully “swimming” through Hartlepool Marina, these moments showed the power of art to unite and inspire. One of the proudest achievements was curating our cabaret stage, which not only became a festival highlight but a true celebration of our LGBTQIA+ community. I’ve seen firsthand how Outdoor Arts and Arts in Public Space can transform everyday spaces into sites of wonder, joy, and connection, leaving lasting memories that shape how we see ourselves. As I look back, I’m proud to have been part of building a festival that brought Hartlepool’s creative spirit to life and left a legacy of community pride and shared stories that continue to resonate.
Credit - Andy Berriman