Dorset Visual Arts

Who We Are - Dorset Visual Arts We thought it was time to reintroduce ourselves and share what we do here at Dorset Visual Arts. We are a charity organisation who supports visual artists and makers at all stages of their career with a Membership of over 250 creatives who live and work in Dorset. What we do? 💥CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT: Supporting the growth and quality of visual arts through bursaries, commissions, and other opportunities for Dorset's creative community 💥PUBLIC PROGRAMMING: Producing Dorset Art Weeks and other curated public programmes that educate in, and promote awareness of, the visual arts, crafts, and making 💥COMMUNITY BUILDING: Providing opportunities for members of Dorset’s creative community to connect, share knowledge and experience, showcase their work, and to develop their creative practice and promotional skills We will be sharing more about our charity and what we have achieved in the last year over the next month. You can also find out more by heading to our website (link in bio). #DorsetVisualArts #DorsetArtists #DorsetArt #Membership #WhatWeDo #ArtistNetwork #ArtistLed

Have you visited ‘Convergence: Heart Land’ at Chapel Arts Studios yet? This exhibition highlights the work of @twenty3.artcollective who have come together to uncover stories and routes of Andover, its people and history. The varied and rich history, topography and people of Andover have inspired this body of new work. Each artist has made their own creative investigations, but all share a sense of connecting and responding to this unique place. We are thrilled that this exhibition includes work by two DVA Members whose work is featured here. Congratulations to Jindra Jehu, @jindraejehu_ and Richard Gregory, @richardgregory ! 🕚 Gallery Open: Wednesday – Saturday | 11am – 4pm (until 30th May) 📍 The Chapel, St. Mary's Cemetery, Andover Find out more at @casartists . 📸 ©2026 twenty3 art collective #DorsetVisualAtts #DorsetArtists #Exhibition

FARRS OPEN DAY SUNDAY 31 MAY, 2-5pm  Designer and furniture maker John Makepeace and horticulturalist Jenny Makepeace invite you to their inspirational historic house and garden, which has featured in many publications and on Gardeners’ World. John will be talking about his approach in designing furniture for his international clientele. The house has many examples of John’s acclaimed furniture, including prototype chairs from previous commissions, and their collection of contemporary artworks. There are four areas of the garden which include Jenny’s colourful potager, cleft oak fruit cage, glasshouse and straw-bale retreat. This adjoins John’s evolving grass garden, rolling lawns, sculptures and topiary. Farrs, Whitcombe Road, Beaminster DT8 3NB  ///engineers.submerge.useful TALKS at 2.30pm and 4pm | Entry £10, children £5 (No booking required.) In aid of Dorset Visual Arts Charity. @dorsetvisualarts Visit Events & Workshops on the DAW website for more information. Dorset Art Weeks, DAW26, Dorset Visual Arts, Visit Dorset, Art in Dorset, Dorset Open Studios, Dorset Exhibitions, Visual Arts

💥NOW OPEN 💥 SENSING PLACE at Bridport Arts Centre A new exhibition by Dorset Visual Arts Member Frances Hatch, @francesahatch opened this month at @bridportarts . 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. #DorsetVisualArts #DorsetArtist #BridportArtsCentre #VisitDorset #WhatsOnDorset #Exhibition

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. #DorsetVisualArts #DorsetArtWeeks #DorsetArtists #DVA #DAW #VisulArts #Craft #VisitDorset #ArtCommunityDorset

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. 👉 @visualartssw 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. #DorsetVisualArts #VASW #VisualArtsSouthWest #ArtistOpportunity

ARTIST OF THE MONTH - Our Artist of the Month for April is Dorset Visual Arts’ Member Vicky Muenzer-Jones @vicky_muenzer_jones_art . 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, @sherbornetimes and visit her website to find out more. #DorsetVisualArts #DorsetArtists #DVA #Watercolour #PenAndInk #ArtistOfTheMonth

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. @dorsetcounciluk #DorsetVisualArts #DorsetArtists #DorsetHistoryCentre #ArtistDevelopmentProgramme

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). #DorsetVisualArts #DorsetArtists #ArtistMentor #SupportingArtists #EmergingArtist

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 @curatedby.millie @dorsetcounciluk #DorsetVisualArts #DorsetArtists #WhatsOnDorset #VisitDorset #ArtistTalk

📢 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 @crtwildlife 🌟 Dorset Lavender Farm Project 🌟 Yewstock School 🌟 Sturbiz The deadline to apply is Friday 17th April, 5pm. For more information, including the full brief, visit our website now (link in bio)! This project is made possible with funding from Dorset Council's Community and Culture Project Fund. @dorsetcounciluk 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. #DorsetVisualArts #DorsetArtists #Residency #Connections #CallOutForArtist #OpportunitiesForArtists

ARTIST OF THE MONTH - Our Artist of the Month for March is Dorset Visual Arts’ Member Jane Shaw, @janeshawsculpturestudio . Jane Shaw shares: "I am Dorset-based sculptor specialising in bronze animal wildlife sculptures. My ambition for each sculpture is to capture a fleeting moment and a connection with the viewer. I spend hours studying how they move and communicate with their eyes, ears and body; often sitting in fields getting a very soggy bottom!" Read more about her work in the latest edition of the Sherborne Times, @sherbornetimes and visit her website to find out more. 📷 Jane Shaw by Digby Oldridge #DorsetVisualArts #DorsetArtists #DVA #Sculptor #Bronze