Towns of Culture 2025: Weymouth and Portland Unveil 'REVEAL' Initiative

Image: Islands of Imaginations by Jayne Jackson

Towns of Culture 2025, Weymouth and Portland are thrilled to announce the launch of their cultural programme, named ‘REVEAL’.

This programme aims to showcase the existing cultural activities while introducing new events and activities that align with the project's goal of positively impacting the towns throughout 2025.

 Culture in Weymouth and Portland encompasses more than just the arts; it includes any activity that participants define as cultural. This broad definition covers ballet, language classes, parades, brass bands, natural history or heritage walks, and artistic pursuits from knitting groups to pottery, stone masonry to film clubs, DJ'ing to festivals.

The project board emphasized, "Weymouth and Portland Towns of Culture 2025 is an opportunity to REVEAL and celebrate what we already do and what we might like to do when inspired by others."

 The Towns of Culture project board has been created from a broad section of partners from within the public, private, and charity sectors. They have been busy creating a 2025 calendar, inviting everyone to add their events so that a full calendar can be spread to audiences across Dorset and the South West. Organizers are eager to hear from anyone whose event benefits the residents of Portland and Weymouth. 

Image: Piexos, Sarruga; Dusk til Dark 2022, produced by Activate by Jayne Jackson.

Early in 2025, the grand launch of the ‘REVEAL’ project will be announced, featuring exciting opportunities for community participation.

This will be followed by the introduction of the Launchpad Reveal Grants, designed to seed new events, and enhance the cultural program within the towns. These grants are up to a ceiling of £1,500, and will be available to individuals, freelancers, or organizations in Weymouth and Portland to organize and deliver cultural activities up until the end of 2025. Grant recipients will also have the option to receive mentorship from a member of the Project Board.

The grants will be awarded based on the applicant’s ability to ‘Reveal’ the breadth of Weymouth and Portland’s culture, encouraging cultural organizers to deliver events under the Towns of Culture 2025 brand and increase audience and community participation.

Town of Culture is an initiative created by Arts Development Company and funded by Dorset Council. Reveal - Towns of Culture 2025 is also funded by Portland Town Council and Weymouth Town Council.