Boscombe

Adding culture to the regeneration mix by involving artists in public space improvements and tackling accessibility issues.

A view of a busy Boscombe in the 1970s. Copyright Bournemouth Borough Council

Bournemouth’s little sister resort Boscombe will benefit from a number of artist-led im-provements that are being delivered with funding through Sea Change.

Popular with Victorian theatrical society, Boscombe fell on hard times during recent dec-ades, with severe problems including prostitution and substance misuse. Yet the outlook is much brighter, with major ongoing regeneration of the seafront, which has included restoration of Boscombe’s pier and the resort’s transformation into one of the south coast’s leading surfing destinations.

Construction of an artificial surf reef and refurbishment of the seafront Overstrand building into contemporary ‘beach pods’ will help attract visitors to the resort and extend its season.

The Sea Change project adds culture to the regeneration mix. Initiatives include architect /artist designed accessible beach huts, with an adjacent beach trackway allowing wheelchairs to travel over the sand, and new seating overlooking the pier. An arts trail will encourage beach visitors to walk into the town centre, which itself is being transformed through architectural lighting installations on a number of key buildings.

It is hoped the plans will help to spread the benefits of Boscombe’s ongoing sea-front re-generation to the town centre.

Find out more about the resort background, regeneration context, project description and delivery.

What we love about this project

• for many resorts, the prime asset is the beach. To maximise the benefit of regeneration, efforts must be made to connect the seafront with town
• accessibility, particularly for people with physical disabilities, is at the heart of the proposals
• Boscombe appointed an artist to produce proposals for integrating art throughout its regeneration plans, of which the Sea Change project is a part
• the project aims to include participation of nationally and internationally renowned artists as well as local artists
• the project recognises that successful 21st century resorts require marketing a multi-layered message that might not simply be focused on culture. At Boscombe, the primary focus is creating a surf hot-spot, with visual arts adding extra richness, with a seasoning of nature and wildlife

What people are saying

“It is a wonderful opportunity to make some wholesale changes. Sea Change will allow us to move the momentum of regeneration in Boscombe up the hill and get people into the town centre to benefit the local economy.”
Andrew Emery, Bournemouth Borough Council Boscombe Sea Change project manager

“The project will restore confidence about delivering projects in the town, it’s a morale booster.”
Shirley McKenna, Boscombe community arts network