Dorset Visual Arts - Spring 2025 Update
5 February 2025
Following on from last autumn’s review and update on DVA activities and achievements, Dorset Visual Arts share an update on our exciting plans for 2025, and new opportunities for Dorset artists and makers:
- We are pleased to announce the launch of the DVAtions 2025 Programme, with more opportunities to Dorset artists and DVA Members, including an Open Call, bursaries, social events and support resources.
- Details of the programme, including some exclusive opportunities for DVA Members, are published at the start of each month in our Member newsletter - so join DVA if you want to be the first to hear!
- DVA Masterclasses launches on Tuesday 11th February, quarterly online sessions with Gillian Taylor PR designed to help with different aspects of presenting your work, including writing, taking better images, making short films, websites, newsletters, social media and Telling Your Story - included in DVA membership.
- ‘In Our Nature’ is our first Open Call which launches on 17th February, exclusively for DVA Members and in response to the Climate and Ecological Emergency. The exhibition will be shown at Durlston Country Park National Nature Reserve in late May and early June.
- We are thrilled to receive support from the Dorset Council Community and Culture Fund to support a major Arts and Place project - Cranborne Chase | Droves and Downs - full details for applications, with opportunities for Dorset artists will follow in the March newsletter.
- Our first Social Event of the year is on Wednesday 26th March at a central location for rural Dorset, so artists and makers can meet up from across the county, get to know each other and watch the ideas flow! Sign up and join us.
- Also… we are approaching the end of the first year of programming at The Sherborne, with six exhibitions as well as many other cultural activities achieved on site including tours, talks, film screenings and workshops. The main exhibitions have achieved in excess of 30,000 visits in total and over 100 Dorset and south-west based artists and makers, including DVA members, will have had the opportunity to show at the project.
Behind this, and with the support of our recently expanded Board of Trustees, we are taking steps to improve our governance including implementing new policies to underpin significant organisation development and to better serve our charitable objectives. This is an undertaking which takes time to review and plan, but we want to be clear that it is well underway and when we have the information ready on these policies and reports, we will publicly share it.
We hope that the above provides a clear indication of a developing public programme, new approaches in 2025 and our commitment to improving the work of the organisation to better represent Dorset Artists and Makers. We want to provide more of the opportunities and support which DVA Members indicated in survey feedback, alongside working on some exciting developments to come for Dorset Art Weeks.
Wishing you a creative Spring!
Paul Newman, Creative Director
Izzie Jobbins, Membership Support and Communications
Polly Hobbs, Event Producer
image: Bonnie Brown, Furrowed Dusk
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