Holy Dirt

If you are planning your weekend for late May, there is a performance called Holy Dirt happening down at Black Rock that might be worth noting. It is part of this year's Brighton Festival and is produced in association with the Without Walls network, which focuses on outdoor arts. The piece is a dance performance featuring Vidya Thirunarayan and another performer, all under the direction of David Glass. It explores the mythic feminine through the lens of a climate catastrophe, using a mix of movement and physical elements like clay, stones, water, and sand that are introduced into the performance space. The whole thing is set against a global soundscape.

The performances are scheduled for the weekend of May 23rd and 24th, 2026. On Saturday, May 23rd, you can catch it at 11:30 am or 2:45 pm. If Sunday works better for you, there are shows at 11:00 am and 1:45 pm. The venue is located at Black Rock, Madeira Drive, Brighton, BN2 1EN. It is an outdoor event and is free to attend, making it accessible for families who might want to stop by while they are in the area.

For those interested in accessibility, there is a 'Touch tour' available as part of the event's setup. It is a fairly episodic performance where the protagonist moves through different stages of transformation, and given the nature of the production, it is designed to be quite a visual experience. Since it is taking place right on the seafront at Black Rock, it should be easy enough to find if you are heading down towards the marina end of the beach. It is a straightforward way to engage with some local arts programming over that weekend without needing to book tickets in advance.