Words and photos by Mattea McKinnon

Running from May 1st - 15th 2026, Flotsam Festival returns to the southern Gold Coast as a celebration of surf culture, storytelling and the creative community shaped by this coastline.

Born out of COVID-19 pandemic border closures, the festival has evolved into a gathering point for coastal storytelling through film, photography and shared creative experience.

At the heart of it all is Carolyn Ridings Emge, the festival’s founder and driving force. With a background in surf media and a long-standing connection to the region’s creative scene, she has shaped Flotsam into a distinctly place-based festival that champions local voices while attracting audiences from far beyond the Gold Coast.

This year’s program spans site-responsive exhibitions and coastal events, including Icons at The Pink Hotel, the immersive Focal Point trail from Snapper Rocks to Burleigh Headland and Surf Girls on Film in Currumbin. The festival concludes with the Homegrown finale at John Laws Park, showcasing emerging creative talent.

We spoke with Carolyn Ridings Emge about the origins of Flotsam, building a festival from the ground up, and why community remains at the centre of everything she does.

What first inspired you to create Flotsam Festival?

My background is in surf magazines. I grew up on the Gold Coast and got into media early, working as a photo editor. I’ve always loved photography, and my husband is a surf filmmaker, so our circle naturally included a lot of creatives in that space.

About 11–12 years ago, I was involved in setting up another festival called Bleach, which focused on surf culture in the southern Gold Coast. It was incredible to see how much people resonated with showcasing their work on home turf. As that festival evolved into a broader contemporary arts event, there were fewer events in the southern end, and it felt like a missed opportunity.

That area has such a distinct, community-driven culture - almost like its own world. Flotsam really grew from that, as a way to create something that reflects and celebrates that unique local identity.

What makes Flotsam Festival different from other surf or ocean festivals?

We’ve been really ambitious with the artistic side of things. Rather than just hosting events in a single cinema or gallery, we create a multi-site experience and push the boundaries of how work is presented.

We use non-traditional venues because there aren’t many conventional galleries or cinemas in the southern Gold Coast - so we have to think creatively. That includes large outdoor installations in public spaces and a mix of genres.

It’s not limited to one style of surfing - we aim to represent the full spectrum of the surf community. Each event has its own identity and resonates with different audiences.

What kind of experience do you hope people walk away with?

Because each event still has a strong community feel, I hope people leave feeling inspired to pursue their own creative work..whether that’s photography, film, or something completely different.

More importantly, I want them to feel part of a community. So much is consumed online now, so it’s about bringing people together in real life and creating meaningful connections. That was especially important coming out of COVID, making people feel like they’re part of something bigger.

How do you curate the artists and creators involved?

There’s a lot of incredible local talent here, many with international careers, so we already have strong connections within the community.

We also bring in new artists each year through programs like Homegrown, where anyone can submit work, and Next Wave, which supports emerging creatives. A lot of artists come to us through those pathways or reach out directly.

What’s been the most challenging part of building the festival?

We’re a not-for-profit, and in our first year we launched during COVID, not even knowing if the festival could go ahead. That uncertainty still exists each year.

We rely on grants, and often don’t know if funding is secured until close to the festival, so we’re always working with backup plans - Plan B, C, even D. It can feel like starting from scratch every year.

We’re not a big brand or backed by major funding, we partner with small venues and independent businesses, which gives us that strong community feel, but also makes things more challenging logistically.

What’s been the most rewarding moment so far?

Seeing real-life connections happen between creatives. Photography and filmmaking can be quite solitary, so bringing people together is powerful.

You’ll see artists meeting for the first time at the festival, even if they’ve followed each other’s work for years, and then coming back the following year having collaborated on a book or exhibition.

Watching those creative relationships form is incredibly rewarding. It’s like “Tinder for photographers.

Where do you see Flotsam in the next five years?

We’d love to expand further into digital and projection art, creating large-scale installations across landmarks.

The vision is something like a “Vivid for the ocean” , immersive, creative experiences that showcase work in ways that even surprise the artists themselves. It’s ambitious and requires significant funding, but that’s the direction we’d love to grow into.

What advice would you give someone wanting to start a creative festival?

It’s all about community. An idea is only as strong as the people behind it, so finding the right collaborators is essential.

If you have passionate, talented people involved from the beginning, it makes everything easier and elevates the quality from the start. We’ve been lucky on the Gold Coast, there’s an incredible amount of creative talent here.

What can people expect from Flotsam Festival 2026?

There’s a lot happening. We’re introducing augmented reality (AR) into installations, so people can experience self-guided tours alongside live events like surf contests.

There will be large free outdoor film nights on the beach at Kirra and Burleigh, perfect for families to bring a picnic and enjoy films where they were inspired.

We’re also encouraging people to explore, using maps to discover different venues, exhibitions, and local cafes. It’s designed to be immersive, walkable, and accessible.