Culture in Dorset 2024

2024 has been a particularly eventful year.

Elections local, national and global bring the promise of change, though with considerable hurdles to clear. In Dorset, we see a change of political leadership and we’re excited to see the ambition for culture remain as a key component in the quality of life for Dorset’s residents.

And this last year has been testament to that. Right across the county, from Gillingham to Portland, Sherborne to Ferndown, we’ve seen culture thrive in our museums and galleries, theatres and arts centres, libraries and archives, village and town halls, pubs and public squares. As summer comes, our fields and town centres became home to festivals, enhancing the exquisite beauty of our natural and built landscapes.

2024 has also seen the pilot of Dorset Town of Culture, with Bridport stepping forward to wear the crown, showcasing new work and developing a team of young creatives and producers that will ensure a legacy of ambitious cultural activity in the town for years to come. Portland and Weymouth take the mantel for 2025 and their collaborative plans will make the two towns even more of a destination next year.

It’s impossible to sum up a year of culture so rich and dense. So we’ve chosen instead to shine a light on eleven out of a thousand glittering creative projects that have taken place this year. Each is distinctive and unique, but we hope collectively they tell something of the remarkable character of Dorset’s cultural year.

We hope you enjoy reading about them and we wish you a culturally rich 2025

David Lockwood

CEO, Arts Development Company