Media Release: Flotsam Festival Program Prepares To Drop In

Gold Coast (Australia), Wednesday 5th March, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Gold Coast's very own Flotsam Festival is gearing up to return for its fourth iteration, with organisers confirming the two-week film and photography celebration will run 1-14th May, 2025. Staged like a giant interactive arts trail, Flotsam Festival pays homage to the Gold Coast's world-class surf breaks and iconic coastline through imagery inspired by surf, sand and sea.

Programming will include a maelstrom of short film premieres, workshops, in-depth discussions with filmmakers and photographers, live music, and photo exhibitions staged bother indoor and out. Among the popular events set to make a return are Flotsam’s innovative outdoor photography exhibitions, curated film nights including Flotsam’s female creator showcase (Surf) Girls on Film, local film and photography competition awards night Homegrown, an International Surf Flick Fest, as well as a youth film and photography initiative Next Wave partnering visuals with live performances by up- and-coming musicians.

“Flotsam will again welcome some of the world’s foremost photographic talent while shining a light on our homegrown creatives. We can’t wait to unveil a program of events that invite visitors to experience Gold Coast’s surf culture through a creative lens – from pop up live film and music experiments, dedicated amateur and advanced photography workshops, through to ocean conservation art initiatives,” said FLOTSAM Festival Director, Carolyn Emge.

Bringing together surfers, filmmakers, photographers and ocean lovers, attendees can expect a diverse array of free or low-cost activities when the festival rolls up the coastline like an Autumn swell setting Coolangatta, Kirra and Tugun awash with events before activating precincts in Currumbin, Palm Beach and Burleigh. The festival program will launch Thursday 20th March, 2025, co-inciding with the festival’s website going live to distribute this year’s event details and ticketing information.

About Flotsam Arts

Flotsam Arts Inc is a not-for-profit arts organisation that curates experiences at the intersection of surf culture, visual storytelling and contemporary art. Through exhibitions, workshops, residencies and its flagship annual festival, Flotsam champions creators who see the ocean not only as a subject but as a studio. Based on the southern Gold Coast, Flotsam connects local and global talent, grows creative careers, and builds cultural experiences shaped by community, coastline and creative exchange.

The fifth annual Flotsam Festival will take place 1-14 May, 2026.
Flotsam Festival is supported by the City of Gold Coast and Experience Gold Coast.


Media room: https://flotsamarts.pr.co/
Festival website: https://www.flotsamfestival.com.au
Film Freeway: https://filmfreeway.com/FlotsamSurfFilmAndPhotogra...

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