Festival of Energy | Thursday 5 to Sunday 8 March 2026 | Presented by Blyth Celebrates | Produced by Walk the Plank In partnership with Port of Blyth, The Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, Energy Central Campus & Newcastle University
From Thursday 5 to Sunday 8 March 2026, Blyth will host the town’s first Festival of Energy. Presented as part of Blyth Celebrates, the festival will feature large-scale
artworks, performances, and immersive experiences inspired by the sea, wind, moon, and earth.
Created to celebrate Blyth’s heritage, its people, and its role as a global leader in renewable energy, this free festival is produced by Walk the Plank, one of the UK’s leading outdoor arts companies, who will bring their creative vision to the town’s streets, quayside, and public spaces.
The festival brings together artists, scientists, and the local community, working with partners Port of Blyth, The Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult, Energy Central Campus and Newcastle University, to transform the town into a stage for large-scale installations and performances that showcase Blyth’s story and its sustainable future.
Festival Highlights:
• Experience Luke Jerram’s Museum of the Moon and Gaia (the Earth): In a world-first, these awe-inspiring seven-metre diameter artworks will be displayed
together for the first time. Created from detailed NASA imagery and accompanied by a soundtrack by BAFTA-winning composer Dan Jones, these breathtaking installations will be on display in ORE Catapult’s extraordinary testing facilities.
• Tower of Light: Watch Walk the Plank’s giant lighthouse and its clumsy keepers bring the quayside to life with light, fire, and special effects, celebrating Blyth's maritime history and its bright future.
• Whale Song: See Whale Song, a life-sized humpback whale brought to life through a stunning water, sound, and light projection created by acclaimed designers LCI Productions, staged at the point where the River Blyth meets the sea.
• Co-Created Projects: Five new art commissions and two days of films, talks and workshops at the Energy Central Learning Hub, putting the community at the heart of
the festival.
ORE Catapult, the UK’s leading offshore renewable energy research centre, will open its extraordinary testing facilities to the public, offering rare insight into the cutting-edge innovation happening in Blyth, creating a powerful connection between technology and a creative visual experience.
"This is a festival that belongs to Blyth," said Cllr Wendy Pattison, Cabinet Member for Sport and Culture at Northumberland County Council. "It's a chance for everyone to come together, celebrate our town's innovation and imagination, and see Blyth's story told in a spectacular new way."
Bev Ayre, Senior Producer at Walk the Plank, added: “We are excited to bring our creative imagination to Blyth. This is an invitation for everyone to step inside the story of the town, connect with the power of the North Sea, and see the future celebrated in a spectacular new
light.”
Steve Foxley, Chief Executive of ORE Catapult, said: “We’re so excited to be able to open our doors to the public and play host to one of the amazing instillations planned as part of this Festival. Blyth is a town right at the very heart of efforts to transform how we produce energy in the UK and aid our transition towards a more sustainable energy future. So, we’re extremely proud to play our part in what will prove to be a truly extraordinary celebration.”
Artists and creative groups from Blyth, Northumberland and across the North East are invited to apply for one of five Festival of Energy commissions worth £2,000 each. The commissions are open to artists working in performance or public art who want to explore the festival’s themes of energy, light, the sea, and transformation. Applications from underrepresented voices are especially encouraged.
For more information, email getinvolved@walktheplank.co.uk.
Festival of Energy is part of Blyth Celebrates, putting creativity at the heart of the town'sregeneration. Blyth Celebrates is part of Energising Blyth, a £95 million regeneration programme to renew, grow and connect the town. It is being delivered by Northumberland County Council, funded by North East Combined Authority, the UK Government, and Northumberland County Council, with support from other partners.
For more information and to sign up for updates, visit www.blythcelebrates.co.uk
