July at Flowerfield Arts Centre: A Summer of Creativity inspired by Ocean, Myth and Memories.

This July, Flowerfield Arts Centre, Portstewart invites audiences to be carried on the tide of imagination as the galleries, studios and Flowerfield Park come alive.

‘The Sea We Share’, the new summer exhibition, accompanied by a vibrant programme of events, and workshops, draws inspiration from the shifting beauty, folklore and mystery of the sea. From mermaids and shoals of fish to dreamlike underwater worlds, July unfolds as a celebration of the ocean as both place and feeling — something shared, remembered and reimagined.

At the heart of the season is ‘The Sea We Share’, a vibrant new exhibition running from 4 July to 29 August, bringing together three Irish children’s illustrators: Czacarri Muli, EM Emerson and Corinna Askin.

Across Flowerfield’s galleries, visitors will encounter mythical selkies, dreamlike “spaces” of imagination, and richly illustrated underwater narratives drawn from Muli’s The Sea We Share. The exhibition transforms the gallery spaces into a living ocean of story and colour, where younger visitors are especially encouraged to dive in, respond creatively, and add their own mark through interactive making, storytelling moments, and drop-in creative activity throughout the summer.

Flowing out from the exhibition, July becomes a month-long celebration of making and discovery across Flowerfield’s creative learning programme.

In the studios, adults are invited to explore coastal-inspired making — from layered glass sea-inspired plates capturing light and colour with Natasha Duddy (11 July), to hand-built ceramic wall art inspired by shoals of fish and shoreline textures with Fiona Shannon (18 July), and postcard-making that reimagines coastal memories through design and illustration with Elaine Harkness (21 July). These sessions offer relaxed, hands-on opportunities to be creative, inspired by the sea and place.

For younger audiences, July becomes an immersive shoreline of creativity, from making shimmering Seahorse Sun Catchers in fused glass with Natasha Duddy (11 July) to the return of the popular three-day Seashore Summer Art Clubs (15–17 July) with Linda Mulholland. Creativity continues to expand with comic book masterclasses led by Kev F Sutherland (20 July), of Beano, Doctor Who and Marvel fame, giving young artists the chance to develop their own characters and stories.

As the month closes, teens can take to the wheel in a four-day intensive Coastal Mug Making course with Fiona Shannon (27–30 July), exploring ceramics through the textures and forms of the shoreline, while younger artists can crafting Sculpted Clay Mermaid Mirrors (31 July) — a fittingly mythical end to a month shaped by sea and story.

Alongside workshops and exhibitions, Flowerfield’s live programme brings music, theatre and film into the heart of the summer. Saturday Lunchtimes Live in the Park features performances from Arco String Quartet (18 July) and Northern Ireland Opera (25 July), offering free outdoor music experiences in the park. Jitterbug Jackson presents I Used to Dream of Rocket Ships (20 July), an absurd and joyful one-man cabaret for audiences (young and old!). There will also be open-air cinema featuring Trolls Band Together and Hairspray on 24 July, inviting audiences to settle in for music, laughter and shared summer moments in the glorious surrounds of Flowerfield Park.

Flowerfield is also proud to be a Red Sails Festival partner this July, contributing a series of events that celebrate local identity and coastal heritage. The Red Sails Exhibition: People of Portstewart (20 July–22 August) shines a light on the stories and faces that shape the town. Alongside this, creative workshops including Vintage Postcards, a Family Print Workshop, and the Red Sails Beach Hut Canvas Drop-In invite participants of all ages to respond to place through making, drawing and print.

Find out more at Flowerfield.org or call into the centre during openings hours 9.30am – 5pm Monday – Friday, 7-9pm on Wednesday and Thursday evenings and 10am-1pm on Saturdays (please check our website for individual Saturday opening hours as these will vary throughout the summer).