Beach of Dreams - Beat Carnival

What does the sea sing to you? Our Siren Song was created in partnership with Beat Carnival. Along the Ards Peninsula in Northern Ireland, the project invited local people to explore their relationship with the sea – its myths, music and meaning – through a series of creative workshops and coastal walks.

Led by Lead Artist Stephen Beggs and Music Lead Anne Harper, participants helped shape a collective artwork that blended carnival, sculpture, movement and song. From willow-making and fabric-dyeing to composing new music inspired by the rhythms of the tide, communities came together to celebrate both the beauty and vulnerability of their coastline.

The project culminated on 17 May 2025 with a joyful carnival procession through Millisle, ending on the beach for a final performance of Our Siren Song – a powerful reminder of the sea’s enduring pull and the shared responsibility to protect it.
Local filmmaker Will McConnell captured the creative journey, documenting the voices, colours and sounds that brought this coastal story to life.