Artists and crafters who have taken over Swanage’s beach huts in the run up to Christmas, have been recognised with a series of awards presented by the town mayor.
Visitors to the Artisans on the Beach event voted for their favourite, best dressed hut – and found it really difficult to separate such a talented collection of participants.
Swanage town mayor Mike Bonfield awards gold to Erin Waller and Tom Pearce
Two golds, a silver and two bronzes
Voting was so close that two gold awards, a silver and two bronzes were presented to artisans by Swanage town mayor Mike Bonfield on Saturday 29th November 2025.
Every Christmas the beach huts overlooking Swanage Bay are taken over by artists selling paintings and handmade crafts, and the event has become so popular that it regularly attracts visitors from across Dorset and further away.
This year, due to popular demand, extra weekends have been added to the festival, which continues on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until Sunday 21st December 2025. It is expected to get especially busy when Swanage opens its Christmas market on Saturday 6th December 2025.
Almost 40 artisans are selling unique Christmas gifts from the pop up shops in 25 huts on Shore Road, from artwork and clothing to glassware and festive wreaths.
Styled By Stevie has a flair for alternative jewellery and unconventional ideas
“Alternative, quirky look”
Joint gold award winner of the 2025 best dressed hut competition, Erin Waller and her partner Tom Pearce make quirky beaded jewellery and are selling out of Hut 46 as Styled By Stevie.
Erin Waller, who works in Wareham, said:
“I have always been artistic and creative – when I was working in London I was always interested in alternative fashion and unconventional ideas.
“What I wanted to achieve was finding that alternative quirky look while trying to make things affordable for people who have a more creative style and want to achieve that look without spending a lot of money in London stores.
“My partner Tom, who lives in Rempstone, makes rings and jewellery using teaspoons and other cutlery. We now have our certificate at the front of the hut so it’s visible for everyone to see, and we are already seeing a lot more interest in our artisan hut thanks to the award.
“I’m eager for the kids to break up from school because younger customers seem to be my demographic, although I do also have some quirky older customers!”
Hilary Seal, the second gold award winner, was one of the original Artisans from 2014
Shell mirrors and quirky artefacts made Hilary’s outstanding hut stand out
Original Artisan on the Beach
Hilary Seal, the second gold award winner, has been selling wreaths, shell mirrors and quirky artefacts as part of Artisans on the Beach since it first opened back in 2014, and said:
“I was one of the first five who took part in Artisans and I haven’t missed a year since. It has since grown into a much bigger event and is really good for Swanage.
“I have customers who come back year after year to buy wreaths from outside of the town and they also go around the shops and cafes and spend money in local businesses.
“Everything in the artisans’ event has to be handmade, and it’s amazing how many Swanage people are creative in different ways, there is such a wide range of arts and crafts on sale.
“I try to make my hut, number 50, very atmospheric, the light reflects from the shell mirrors and I always put a lot of things outside to attract interest, so I am delighted that the public gave me their votes.”
Marita Morgan was the public’s chosen silver winner at The Studio by the Sea
Eyecatching handcrafted silver jewellery by Marita is being sold from hut 55
“It is my passion and I love it”
Silver award winner Marita Morgan is fittingly a maker of handcrafted silver jewellery, selling from hut 55, The Studio by the Sea.
Marita said:
“Many moons ago, I trained as a florist before doing window dressing in Marks and Spencer and then became a funeral director, but felt I needed something creative to do with my evenings and joined a class to learn silversmithing and absolutely adored it.
“It is my passion and I love it – and even though the price of silver is going up quite drastically, I do my utmost to keep my prices down so I get a good turnover on my jewellery.
“I have always loved arts and crafts, and I’m good with my hands, I try to make individual designs with my necklaces, something a bit out of the ordinary.
“I do a bit of casting work as well, one of Corfe Castle is one of my biggest sellers, I also make seahorses and starfish for Swanage Pier, and also have some of my work in Pursenalities.
“I am over the moon about the award, especially as everyone in these beach huts is brilliant and produces such amazing work – everyone has made a huge effort and it is a real attraction for the town which hope carries on for years to come.”
Tracy Stressing’s bronze award is her second win of the year
Glass decorations and gifts, all inspired by a Christmas fish
“Lit up the room like stained glass”
Tracy Stressing’s Make and Create glass decorations and gifts in hut 33 won a bronze award – her second of the year after Dragons Den star Theo Paphitis, selected Tracy as a January 2025 winner on his Small Business Sunday Instagram site.
Tracy Stressing said:
“I got an award from Theo where he picked my business out as a winner, which made me so proud – and now to get this award from the Artisans on the Beach has finished my year off in the best possible way.
“Glass making is my way of relaxing, which might seem like a strange thing, but it works for me. I get ideas in my head and I know exactly what they will look like – I have just started doing Dorset landscapes, I get so much inspiration from local landmarks and nature.
“My mum and dad had a glass fish in their window, in the best room in the house where we only went at Christmas – it lit up the whole room like a stained glass window.
“They moved down to Dorset in 1989 and the fish didn’t come with them, I don’t know what happened to it or where it went, but I have never forgotten it.
“I got married in Swanage and my kids were christened in Swanage, so it is my second home and one day I would love to move here permanently. For now, I have relocated to be with my dad and have moved my kilns into his conservatory.
“My little business has had a few ups and downs, and to come from Hertfordshire to establish myself down here and be welcomed so warmly by the community, has made me feel so special.”
Bronze award winner Kate Gwilliam beneath a string of flying duckies
Felt decorations and original artwork by Kate caught the public’s eye
“I absolutely love living here”
Kate Gwilliam, of Flying Duckie, is selling hand sewn felt decorations and illustrations and was presented with a bronze award for her artisan’s hut, number 31 – look for the yellow door which perfectly matches her duck theme!
Kate Gwilliam said:
“Originally I just started selling felt decorations but I’ve now moved on to showcasing some of my art as well. I was embarrassed to show my drawings at first but over the years the other artisans have encouraged and inspired me to start selling some of my framed drawings too.
“That’s what Swanage is all about for me and why I absolutely love living here, getting encouragement from the community and now picking up my first award as well!
“I’m a self taught sewer and have been crafting for the past 17 years, and exhibiting at Artisans on the Beach for the past eight years – I was an outsider at the time, I used to travel over from Bournemouth to exhibit and was lucky to be given that chance to be part of wonderful Swanage.
“Now I’m happy living here! I also take part in the pirate festival and the community event run by Swanage Carnival – this is a hobby at the moment, but I would love it to be more!”
Further information
- See all the latest from Artisans on the Beach on its Facebook page
