Welcome to
Dorset Visual Arts

Dorset Visual Arts run a range of events, curated projects and other opportunities for visual artists and makers across the whole county, including Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch. Since 2023 DVA has been working on developing its Membership programme and creating more support for Dorset artists which will expand and evolve over 2024 and 2025, with more diverse and inclusive opportunities aimed at helping artists and makers develop their practice and establish networks for sharing and showing new work. 

As well as running Dorset Art Weeks and a host of other arts projects, Dorset Visual Arts are working as the lead arts partner for The Sherborne - formerly Sherborne House - a new venture for the visual arts launched in spring 2024. The building has been amazingly restored - indeed transformed. DVA is developing an exciting visual arts focused programme designed to engage the community and wider public. It will provide a wide range of opportunities for Dorset artists, as well as those from further afield, to create a regularly-changing exhibition, display and events programme interweaving the wide range of contexts and styles in which Dorset's artists work – both locally and nationally.

DVA has revised and relaunched its Standard Membership offer with many new additional benefits for Dorset artists. Please visit the Join Us page for full details of the DVA Membership offer which includes more networking opportunities, support, updates, discounts, and the development of new exhibition and creative development initiatives to follow in 2024 and 2025.

Dorset Art Weeks is our flagship bi-ennial event, which will return 23 May - 7 June 2026. See the Dorset Art Weeks website for information on the 2024 event and details of the participating artists.