A VIBRANT line-up of artists has been announced for this year's b-side festival on Portland. 

The quirky festival, now in its 11th year, will be held from Thursday, September 7 to Sunday, September 10.

Taking place on isle of Portland, b-side welcomes curious wanderers and arts-obsessed regulars this year to its 11th year.

This year's festival will have the theme This Land, with four new artworks commissioned focusing on heritage sites on the isle.

Driven by an abundant community of creative locals, b-side is a buzzing hub of talent from Portland’s shores and beyond. It has provided a platform for numerous global artists today.

Rocca Holly Nambi, director of b-side, said: "We are delighted to share the culmination of our two-year programme, This Land, at b-side’s 2023 festival.

"Residents of Portland have been working with national and international artists to excavate knowledge and acquire new skills to protect, preserve and propose new futures for natural and built heritage sites on our unique Isle of Portland."

The theme for this year culminates in four newly commissioned artworks which focus on the intriguing history and heritage of Portland’s land.

This Land focuses on two fragile and unique natural and built heritage sites identified as at risk: the last remaining area of original Portland landscape at Portland Bill and the ruins of a Tudor cottage on the seafront at Chiswell.

Funded by the The National Lottery Heritage Fund, community-led research has inspired artists to create work that highlights the potential future of these sites as well as their story's connection to wider global challenges.

Each artist commissioned by b-side will interpret the story of Portland, intertwined with rugged landscapes and generations of Portlanders.

Digital artists Heinrich & Palmer will create a 'multi-media installation and striking interventions responding to architectural sites.'

Anna Heinrich and Leon Palmer plan to use cutting edge technology to analyse cottages once inhabited by fishermen and quarrymen in Brandy Row. 

Stuart McLeod, Director England - London & South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “We are delighted to support the b-side festival project, which thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, will mean that more people can learn about the exciting heritage right on their doorstep at Portland Bill and Brandy Row.”

Wildworks, a leading landscape theatre company, have created a brand new piece called Uncommon Land about Portland's landscape.

Meanwhile artist duo Kneed will be creating The Weather or Not Station made up of anecdotes, conversations, rumours and diary entries that represent the heart of Portland.

London-based artist Emily Tracy will be showcasing a new artwork created by many hands at the Portland Bird Observatory.

The full programme and artist lineup for b-side 2023 Festival will be confirmed later this year.

For more information, please visit the b-side website https://b-side.org.uk/ and follow b-side festival on Instagram @bsidefestival, Twitter @bsidefest and Facebook @bsidefest.