The drama of north Norfolk's coastline and weather will be celebrated by artists during a new festival later this month.

Installations inspired by sea, textiles marked by the weather and pictures using home-made cameras are among the activities in a pioneering project during the Cromer and Sheringham Arts Festival.

The Coast Encounters element, run by the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts based at the UEA, is focused on the weather and culminates in a series of free events during the festival which runs from October 23-31.

Among those drawing on the coastal location and its weather, are visiting artists and Maori spiritual leaders George Nuku and Rosanna Raymond who will make an installation at West Runton brickworks called 'We are bound by the ocean; the same water kisses our shores' which addresses questions of climate change, ownership and access to the sea.

They will use natural and man-made materials to make translucent temporary structures filled with poetry, carving, installations and jewels.

Artist Mark Heywood will be leading a project highlighting surfers' fascination with the weather as they pursue the perfect wave.

As well as an installation overlooking the surf at East Runton, there will be the re-telling of heroic surf stories at the Village Inn, West Runton.

North Norfolk artist Gaia Shaw will be based at a Sheringham beach hut for her Blueprint of the Weather, including using the elements as her tools to mark and print on to textiles

Artists are also staging free workshops during and before festival week. They include:

Photographer Gavin Mount making atmospheric pictures using recycled technology and home-made cameras at the Runton brickworks on October 23, 24 and 27.

Alison Atkins and Doo Gurney offering the chance to capture a piece of the skyline at the West Runton beach hut on October 25 and 26.

Jane Frost and Liz McGowan looking a the interplay of wind, sea and land at the same venue on October 18 and 19.

Weatherquest director Steve Dorling will also give a talk on weather past and future at Merchants Place, Cromer on Saturday, October 30.

Work has already been happening in the run-up to the event, with workshops in local schools and people visiting museums and libraries jotting down their weather memories which will go on display at a series of beach hut 'weather museums.'

The Coast Encounters project is part of the Sainsbury Centre's Culture of the Countryside outreach project supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, which began in October 2007 and is in its final phase this autumn

It is just part of a wider arts festival running at venues from Salthouse to Overstrand, and also including music, drama, literature, art and craft.

The full programme of more than 60 events is available at locations across North Norfolk as well as at www.casaf.co.uk.