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Dismaland: Banksy's dystopian theme park

Dismaland: Banksy's dystopian theme park

In 2015, the street artist transformed a derelict pool into a dystopian ‘bemusement park’

Witness History · BBC World Service

December 9, 202510m 38s

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Show Notes

In 2015, Banksy turned a derelict swimming pool in Weston-super-Mare, England, into a dystopian theme park which drew huge crowds and Hollywood stars.

Working under cover of darkness, the street artist created Dismaland - a 'bemusement park' offering a satirical twist on mainstream resorts.

The temporary exhibition featured a fire-ravaged castle, a riot police van sinking into a lake, and Cinderella’s upturned pumpkin carriage.

Open for just five weeks, Dismaland sold thousands of tickets daily and injected an estimated £20 million into the local economy.

Kurtis Young speaks to Reena Stanton-Sharma about his summer job as a steward at Dismaland.

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(Photo: A mermaid sculpture in front of the fairy castle. Credit: Jim Dyson/Getty Images)