Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) is celebrating the resounding success of its first-ever flagship event, the Festival of Creativity 2026, which successfully drew crowds from across the region to Wallisdown for the weekend’s festivities.

Officially opened on Saturday 4 July afternoon by Jessica Toale, Member of Parliament for Bournemouth West, the free, immersive two-day event transformed the AUB campus into a thriving celebration of regional talent, imagination, and creative innovation.

Running in tandem with AUB’s highly acclaimed Undergraduate Summer Shows, the festival hosted three stages showcasing the best in regional music, dance, spoken word and poetry as well as free creative workshops, entertainers, live art, and a makers market.

“The Festival of Creativity 2026 represents the ultimate realisation of AUB's civic and creative mission," says Lisa Mann, Vice-Chancellor and CEO of AUB. "By opening our doors, launching our new state-of-the-art cinema, and bringing together local businesses, world-class performers, and Dorset's community, we have established a vibrant cultural beacon for the South Coast.”

Across the weekend, the festival’s live stages provided an energetic soundtrack and spectacular performances. Music lovers enjoyed a diverse billing that stretched from psychedelic blues to high-octane soul-disco. Highlights included show-stopping performances by the UK’s ultimate ‘Loop Wizard’ Connor Ryan, Jest Fordham, and South Coast favourites The Surfin’ Birds on Saturday, followed by Danny Peacock, Anatol Just, Dennieze, Pachango, and a heavy '70s soul-disco headline set by London's The Wild Violets on Sunday.

On the Dance Stage, audiences were treated to boundary-pushing contemporary choreography and expressive movement from Pavilion Dance South West’s resident adult company CO EVO; Activate’s award-winning, fully inclusive youth company The Remix, and the elite First Position Performance Company.

Four individuals stand next to a large black letter 'AUB' in an outdoor setting, surrounded by greenery and modern buildings. Behind them, flags and signs add color to the scene, indicating an event.

A woman in a white blouse and yellow trousers stands at a microphone, addressing an audience outdoors. To her left, another woman in a brown patterned dress is smiling, while a crowd is visible in the background under a clear blue sky.

A woman with curly hair in a cream blouse and mustard-yellow trousers stands beside an orange door with a blue sign that reads 'Fire Exit.' She is cutting a blue ribbon in front of a building featuring large black lettering stating 'BFS'.

A group of performers in red costumes are engaged in a dance routine on a paved area surrounded by an audience sitting and standing under trees. The background features a modern building with large windows.

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A group of dancers performs in a plaza, wearing vibrant patterned shirts and black athletic pants. The dancers are positioned in a line, with a backdrop of modern buildings and people observing in the background.

A small outdoor stage features a band performing with microphones and instruments. In the foreground, people are seated at picnic tables, while colourful ribbons drape behind the band, and trees provide shade in a park setting.

A young man with curly hair plays a red drum kit outdoors during a performance. He is wearing a white t-shirt, holding drumsticks, and sitting behind the drums, with a backdrop of trees and parked cars.

Six children wearing bright red outfits pose together around a large black letter formation spelling 'AUB'. The setting is outdoors with trees and a building in the background.

Meanwhile, curated by Dominic Wong, the Bournemouth Writing Festival Stage attracted premier local poets, spoken word artists, the award-winning charity theatre company Vita Nova, and a dynamic Livewire Live! showcase.

In addition to the performance stages, the campus hosted a bustling independent makers market. Visitors browsed and purchased handmade crafts, fine art prints, lino prints, custom illustrations, bespoke jewellery, knitwear, fashion showcases, vintage clothing, dedicated book stalls, and henna body art.

Attendees of all ages enjoyed the hands-on masterclasses and activities which included dynamic acting workshops with professional director Dr Louie Jenkins, family crafting with local charity Creative Kids, pompom dancing with BH Live, pottery illustration with Poole Museum, and a massive interactive live Art Wall hosted by Boomtown festival favourites, the Topsy Turvey Collective.

Gaming enthusiasts also turned out in large numbers for the festival's Games Jam, testing out and voting on brand-new video games built by developers under a top-secret theme in just one week.

Jessica Toale comments, “It was a pleasure to open AUB’s first Festival of Creativity and officially launch its new independent cinema. This is a real vote of confidence in the incredible creative talent we have here and a celebration of our community. I’m proud to have a world-leading creative arts university at the heart of Bournemouth and Poole as we continue building the creative industries of the future.”

Following the tremendous reception from local residents, industry partners, and prospective students, AUB aims to build upon this success to continue championing the creative economy of the South Coast with plans already under way for the Festival of Creativity 2027.

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