Colour and creativity comes to Boscombe, and beyond, this month as Bournemouth Arts Emerging Fringe (BEAF) returns with its popular arts festival.

It features more than 150 events, for all ages, including live music, performance and visual arts plus a full programme of workshops, talks and family friendly events.

The theme of this year’s festival, which is from June 26 to July 4, is asking what it means to be human.

It is inspired in part by the work of the renowned South African artist William Kentridge.

His short, animated film Other Faces will be the centre-piece of the main exhibition in BEAF’s new gallery and theatre space in Boscombe – B.A.D (Boscombe Arts Depot).

Alongside Kentridge’s animation, visitors to the festival can expect a thought-provoking and reflective programme of new work from 40 commissioned artists who, despite the pandemic, have continued to produce their work for the festival.

BEAF’s curated exhibition 2B Human will be presented in the new space and will feature art, photography, film, video, sculpture and interactive digital work.

B.A.D. will also become the central hub for the festival, providing an information point, a pop-up shop from Poole-based Pen Gallery, as well as an arts cinema, a theatre and an education space.

The year of the pandemic has been transformational for The Outsiders Project, one of BEAF’s year-round co-created projects, which gives voice to people sidelined from society.

Over the last year the project has developed a new show, Tattoo, which tells stories of the project participants’ own tattoos, some deeply moving, others full of wit and humour.

Music has been specially composed by Deena Jackman and the show is directed by Nell Leyshon.

The Outsiders Project also presents a Lock-In at the festival, where the audience can see all the new writing and music which has emerged during the last year from the voices of all the participants.

Both shows will be performed in the pop-up theatre located in the B.A.D. building.

BEAF is rapidly becoming known for its innovative, contemporary arts programming and premiering new work.

A series of Takeovers will see a host of new events at local venues, including an international music lineup at Chaplin’s Cellar Bar, a performance showcase at the B.A.D. building and over 20 exhibitions of new work in fine art and photography taking over the Victorian Royal Arcade in Boscombe.

Highlights include music from Gambian kora player Jally Kebba Susso, pictured, a trio of women folk/jazz musicians, Ruth Theodore, Izzie Yardley and Olivia Bhattacharjee and New York musician Thomas Truax, described as one of the most imaginative characters on the pop music fringe with his evolving band of self-made instruments.

Exhibitions include the hand painted animations from Corrianna Clarke featuring her new work Boscombe Bound, created during lockdown with voices from the people of Boscombe, the paper peepshows from artist Richard Sanz and the pen and ink illustrations from Paper Cinema’s Nic Rawling.

Founded in 2004, The Paper Cinema is an association of artists and activists who blend live animation and original music to tell stories about our planet.

BEAF is premiering their most recent acclaimed theatre show; a re-imagining of Macbeth as a cautionary tale for our times on film.

The company takes its audience on a journey through rugged Scottish landscapes to encounter storms, battles, betrayal and murderous plot.

Shakespeare’s tragedy is brought to life as puppets, music, foley and cinematic projection combine.

BEAF’s family focused mini-festival also returns over the final weekend of the festival in the pocket park, Churchill Gardens.

This year it features the interactive work of performance duo, Rimski and Handkerchief.

They will entertain audiences, young and old with their work, Wind Up at Home; a fantastical mobile ‘house’ where tables turn, music is made in the unlikeliest of ways and the audience is invited to interact with some wondrous contraptions too.

Workshops at the weekend event include drumming with Cheikh Diop, animations with Hannah Eaton, bubbleology with Lisa Davies and even a silent disco, all free and programmed to entertain the whole family.

The family programme also features long-time favourite of BEAF, the work of The Cabinet of Living Cinema.

Expect an outdoor cinema experience at the Bournemouth Natural Science Society and an interactive workshop at Churchill Gardens, complete with live music, especially composed for the festival.

To book tickets and for more details visit gotbeaf.co.uk

BEAF is supported by Arts Council England, Bournemouth Coastal BID, Arts University Bournemouth, People’s Health Trust, J.P. Morgan and Morgan Sindall.

The 2019 festival attracted over 20,000 visitors doubling its attendance figures from the previous year.