Culture in Dorset 2023

Dorset is a county famous for its culture. Creativity thrives here, and the enormous variety and volume of cultural events is astounding.

It’s one of the things that makes the county such an attractive proposition to visitors. Fields become festivals, farms and churches transform into creative hubs, and community halls house wondrous, theatrical experiences.

My brilliant team and I have had both the privilege and challenge of celebrating a small selection of cultural moments in 2023, from the thousands of activities that have taken place. Our choice is far from exhaustive. We hope, though, that it reflects the diversity of the creative year, encompassing both the epic and the intimate.

As always, this doesn’t happen by chance. We’re incredibly lucky in Dorset to have a local authority that understands and values culture and its key role in creating stronger, healthier communities. We’re also blessed with an array of welcoming venues and talent organisations, the rocks on which a dynamic cultural community can flourish.

But most of all, we’re lucky to have around 10,000 creative practitioners whose dedication and creativity constantly inspire, and without which, life has slightly less purpose and far less joy.

David Lockwood, CEO

Sources: The Economic Impact of Dorset’s Visitor Economy 2021, Creative UK and UK Government’s Headline findings for the Participation Survey (October 2021 to March 2022)