Blue Surf Festival

2023

BLUESURFEST is 6 surfing festivals in 6 European countries committed to fostering sustainability, boosting inclusion and improving accessibility in sport

During September and October 2023, a selected group of “blue communities” from Spain, France, Germany, Ireland, Portugal, and Italy, will host a series of European Blue Surf Festivals.

The festivals will combine sporting activities, cultural events, and educational seminars.

Blue Surf Festivals as well as promoting inclusion, sustainability, and surf culture, aims to further develop and promote the work of the INCLUSEA Network on developing common European adaptive surf methodologies.

BSF Warnemünde, Germany.  1-3 Sep. 2023

BSF San Vicente de la Barquera, Cantabria, Spain.  7-9 Sep. 2023

BSF Rossnowlagh, Donegal, Ireland.  22-24 Sep. 2023

BSF Viana do Castelo, Portugal. 28 Sep. – 1 Oct. 2023

BSF Sardinia, Italy. 20-22 Oct. 2023

BSF Biarritz, France. 27-29 Oct. 2023

About

BLUESURFEST is a pan European project which is co-financed by the Erasmus + Sport Programme. A series of non-profit inclusive sports festivals will be hosted in six European countries: Spain, France, Germany, Portugal, Italy, and Ireland. The festivals promote the practice of sport to people with physical and/or sensory disabilities, improving their physical and mental well-being. The project, which further develops the work by the INCLUSEA network, began on the 1st of December 2022 and lasts for one year.
Through BLUESURFEST, the work of the INCLUSEA network will be enhanced and will continue to break down barriers to inclusion in sport and society through a new European surfing festival network.

Activities

All Blue Surf Festivals will include a wide range of different surf related activities aimed at community building, such as inclusive surf competitions and demonstrations, together with a mix of related community seminars and events.

The events, targeted to raise awareness at local and regional levels, will highlight the benefits of surfing for physical and mental health and wellbeing.

Using a community based approach, the events will build networks between surf athletes, coaches, volunteers and diverse members of the local surf communities from each participating country, together with their families and other sports organisations and stakeholders.

Objectives

  1. Increase awareness of the role of sport in promoting social inclusion and equal opportunities; broader integration of adapted surfers.
  2. Improve the accessibility of sports practice in coastal blue spaces for competitive and recreational purposes.
  3. Provide well-structured guidance to volunteers to successfully engage people who currently face numerous difficulties accessing aquatic sports.
  4. Magnify the health and wellbeing benefits that surfing provides to participants.
  5. Foster environmental sustainability, protection, preservation, and enhancement of blue spaces.
  6. Dynamize local coastal communities through cultural and sport activities such as seminars, conferences, live music, films, art exhibitions, beach clean-ups, surf contests or exhibitions.
  7. Promote collaboration and cooperation between different stakeholders of each blue community. Involve different administrations and organizations to join and work together for a more inclusive society through adapted sports.

Expected Impact

The project aims to reach 40,000 individuals throughout Europe over the lifetime of the project. It will involve up to 900 athletes in local adaptive and inclusive ‘Blue Surf Festivals’ supported by up to 600 volunteers and reaching out to relevant stakeholders and local decision makers.

Legacy

The project aims to leave a legacy beyond the ‘Blue Surf Festival’ events. A series of documents, events and networks will be developed during the project with a transnational and replicable approach, with the aim of supporting further development in the field of inclusive and adaptive surfing. Partners will share project achievements and learnings in a final event alongside the development of specific documents that will further support the replicability of these sporting events.

Project partners

The project consortium is composed of 6 partner organisations, all of them from EU. The partners includes public management organisations in the field of sport, national federations, sports clubs and non-profit organisations.

The leading partner is the Regional Society of Education, Culture and Sports, a public body of the Government of Cantabria, Spain, responsible for the development of cultural and sports programmes, with a focus towards the promotion of inclusion, gender equality, and sustainability in sports and culture.
www.srecd.es

SCV is a non-profit surfing association that develops recreational and competitive sporting activities, alongside the promotion of health, well-being and inclusiveness in sport.
www.surfingviana.com

HS aims to support participation in surfing for all people with disabilities throughout France and beyond. It promotes social inclusion and access to autonomy and health, through the medium of surfing.
www.handi-surf.org

Liquid Therapy provides inclusive and adaptive Surf and Ocean Therapy for individuals with Physical, Mental, Emotional, Behavioural and intellectual challenges.
www.liquidtherapy.ie

DWV, is the non-governmental umbrella organization of German Surfing Federation. It is responsible for the promotion and development of adaptive surfing in Germany.
wellenreitverband.de

FISW a national association for surf clubs and supports the development of adaptive surfing in Italy, including coordinating activities and development of the Italian national Adaptive Surf team.
www.scinautico.com

Sociedad Regional de Educación, Cultura y Deporte
C/ Gamazo, s/n. 39004 Santander
Cantabria, Spain

hello@inclusea.eu