Dorset Visual Arts

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Dorset Visual Arts

Dorset Visual Arts help promote and celebrate visual and applied arts across Dorset.

09/06/2026

Dorset Visual Arts is delighted to announce the appointment of Laura Eldret, their artist-in-residence for ‘Connections’ a new project exploring people and places specific to the North Dorset Trailway.

Laura Eldret is an artist and researcher based in Dorset who makes work for/about/with people, places, ecologies and communities. Her works, including installations, posters, drawings, textiles, videos and events, are frequently the result of cross-disciplinary or collaborative approaches. She has exhibited widely, from England to Argentina, and has been awarded commissions by major art institutions.

Since 2023, Laura has been undertaking a PhD at the University of the West of England exploring commoning as a creative and socio-ecological practice. She is also founding director of More Than Ponies, a visiting lecturer and a trained permaculturist.

Throughout this summer Laura Eldret will be the artist-in-residence of the North Dorset Trailway exploring the trail as a site of nature and histories, and a connector of both human and none-human communities.

As part of the residency Laura will be working with local communities including the
🌟 CRT at Bere Marsh Farm
🌟 The Dorset Lavender Farm Project
🌟 Sturbiz
🌟 Yewstock School

A finale will take place at Bere Marsh Farm in September. More information coming soon including how you can get involved!

27/05/2026

💥DORSET ART WEEKS IS HERE 💥

What a brilliant start to Dorset Art Weeks 2026! 294 venues have opened their doors inviting visitors to see open studios, exhibitions and meet the artists behind the work.

We are delighted that so many Dorset Visual Arts Members take part in the 16 day event. Here is just a small glimpse of what's on offer from some of our Members.

📸 Venue 278 - Robert Woolner
📸 Venue 158 - David Atkins, Jackie Atkins, Grace Atkins
📸 Venue 161 - Colin Willey and Morgan Willey
📸 Venue 167 - Jindra Jehu and Mark Hilde (Image 4 & 5)
📸 Venue 157 - Clare Reynolds and Katherine Message
📸 Venue 156 - Alison and Andy Webber

Dorset Art Weeks continues until Sunday 7th June so go out and explore to discover the variety of work on offer.

Dorset Art Weeks is produced by Dorset Visual Arts.

27/04/2026

💥NOW OPEN 💥
SENSING PLACE at Bridport Arts Centre

A new exhibition by Dorset Visual Arts Member Frances Hatch, Frances Hatch Artist opened this month at Bridport Arts Centre. SENSING PLACE focuses on Frances Hatch’s process as a plein air painter and the ‘place palettes’ she makes at Dorset coastal locations using found earths, clays, organic matter and man-made materials like litter. Accompanied by written and painted notes, the palettes become portraits of place that inform her paintings, a small number of which will be on show in the exhibition.

You can see this exciting exhibition until Saturday 6th June.
Open 10am - 4pm, Wednesday - Saturday.

21/04/2026

A huge thank you to everyone who came along to our social this week at The Duchess of Cornwall Inn. It was great to see so many familiar faces as well as welcoming some new artists.

This exclusive event for our Members is part of our Artist Development programme focused on Creative Development and Community Building. Hosting socials supports the artistic community, helping people to connect and learn about each other's work and inspirations.

If you would like to come along to a future social event, join DVA as a Member now! Visit our website for more information.

16/04/2026

New Opportunity: Curator Bank Apply Now

We’re excited to be part of Curator Bank, an initiative that supports artists in the South West through mentoring support.

Curator Bank offers one-to-one meetings with the people who build exhibition programmes, commission new work, acquire for collections and champion emerging voices. Curators represent major visual arts organisations in the South West - from experimental spaces to national collections. Their experience spans contemporary exhibition development, public art commissioning, museum acquisition, experimental digital platforms and community and socially engaged practice.

Dorset Visual Arts Creative Director, Paul Newman, is included in the bank of curators this year and is thrilled to be part of this important initiative.

How to apply: you can find out more and apply online via the Visual Arts South West website.
👉 https://vasw.org.uk/opportunities/mentoring-opportunity-curator-bank-2

Artists will be selected for the sessions through a simple open call, and will be matched with curators who can offer the support identified and have relevant areas of interest and experience.

⚠️ Deadline 30 April ⚠️

Curator Bank is initiated by Visual Arts South West and The Burton at Bideford, building on an idea by Gilly Fox, with in-kind support from partner organisations.

14/04/2026

ARTIST OF THE MONTH - Our Artist of the Month for April is Dorset Visual Arts’ Member Vicky Muenzer-Jones.

Vicky Muenzer-Jones shares: "I am an artist and designer and a recent arrival in Nether Compton, having returned to the county of my birth after many years working as a lawyer. I specialise in pen-and-ink watercolour paintings of buildings, landscapes and animals. Two themes run through both my art and lawyering: attention to detail and engaging with people.”

Read more about her work in the latest edition of the Sherborne Times and visit her website to find out more.

02/04/2026

We were thrilled to launch our brand new Artist Development Programme last month with a tour of Dorset History Centre exclusively for DVA Members.

The behind-the-scenes tour was led by County Archivist Sam Johnston and Principal Archivist Claire Skinner who shared how artists can use the archives for inspiration. A huge thank you to them both for their generosity and expertise.

Our Artist Development Programme is exclusively for Members and focuses on Creative Development and Community Building. Want to find out more? Visit our website or sign up for Membership today.

Dorset Council

30/03/2026

We are hiring!

Dorset Visual Arts is seeking a Freelance Emerging Artist Mentor to support a group of emerging artists to partake in a professional development programme resulting in an exhibition of work.

Fee: £2,550
Time Commitment: 8.5 days (April - October)

What are we looking for?
💥Experience of mentoring artists
💥Understanding and knowledge of the Dorset arts and culture scene
💥Effective communicator who can work with a wide range of people
💥Understanding of the needs of emerging artists

If you think you could support emerging artists to develop their ideas, explore the Dorset art scene, and reach their potential we want to hear from you! Find out more and how to apply on our website (link in bio).

26/03/2026

Have you visited Droves & Downs at the Museum of East Dorset yet? Following a successful showing at Shaftesbury Arts Centre last autumn, this is the exhibition’s first appearance in Wimborne.

Droves & Downs showcases new work by Annabel Beasley, Siân Cann, Richard Gregory and Tonia Gunstone, four artists awarded bursaries to develop ambitious projects rooted in the Chase’s ecology, heritage and living communities.

There is also a special opportunity to hear directly from the exhibiting artists about how they approached the project.

🚩Droves & Downs: In Conversation
📍Museum of East Dorset, Wimborne
🗓 Thursday 9th April
🕓5.30-6.30pm (after hours viewing) 6.45pm (discussion)

This event is free to attend, but booking is essential. Please visit the Museum of East Dorset’s website for more information. Exhibition continues until 7th June 2026.

📸Iryna Sozanska

23/03/2026

📢 CALL OUT FOR ARTIST 📢

Do you have experience using art to engage with a wide range of people? Dorset Visual Arts is seeking a socially engaged artist to complete a residency along the North Dorset Trailway, where they will lead a series of creative workshops with communities.

CONNECTIONS will encourage work with rural communities and focus on using creative activities to improve wellbeing.

Artist Fee: £2,500 plus £500 materials budget

We are pleased to have partnered with the following organisations for this project:
🌟 Bere Marsh Farm, Countryside Regeneration Trust Bere Marsh Farm
🌟 Dorset Lavender Farm Project
🌟 Yewstock School Yewstock School
🌟 Sturbiz SturBiz

The deadline to apply is Friday 17th April, 5pm. For more information, including the full brief, visit our website now - https://dorsetvisualarts.org/news/article/connections-residency-applications-open

This project is made possible with funding from Dorset Council's Community and Culture Project Fund.
Dorset Council

Please note this opportunity is open to UK based artists only. Accomodation is not offered and artists should consider their ability to travel to Dorset regularly for the duration of the residency.

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