Dorchester Arts Press Releases

Pop Club boogie with Jools’ favourite band

2012-05-17T01:12:00.000-07:00

Kick start your summer with Dorchester Festival and the Ben Waters Band in a beautiful counrtyside setting !

The internationally-acclaimed band, who have played with rock and roll legends Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, the Rolling Stones and Ray Davies, are joining our very own Pop Club musicians in a special summer concert near Owermoigne.

Tickets on sale now for his performance on Friday 1 June at Watercombe (directions supplied with tickets) from Dorchester ARTS 01305 266926 or online.

Ben Waters Band specialises in energetic boogie piano focussing on rock ’n roll standards interlinked with boogies and heart rending songs straight from the prohibition era as well as inspirational original material which is much in demand by other artists. His first CD was recorded in one take at the age of 18 and was much acclaimed in the media and Press. His latest - released by Eagle Rock Records this year - Boogie4Stu - with all the Rolling Stones, PJ Harvey and Jools Holland on board and in aid of the British Heart Foundation in memory of Ian Stewart, is selling well worldwide and topping many charts. Hugely popular both at home and abroad, Jools Holland loves the Ben Waters Band so much he booked them to play at his wedding!

The Ben Waters Band is coming to Dorchester as part of 70+ events in Dorchester Festival June 1-5.

Tickets for all Festival events are available either through the Festival Box Office 01305 267 992, Dorchester ARTS 01305 2666926, or online.

From World Music to World Peace - Andy Kershaw

2012-05-16T22:48:00.000-07:00

An evening in the company of a man who has lived a thousand lives is surely not to be missed. It is fair to assume that Andy Kershaw has appeared on many an “ideal dinner party” guest list. This is your chance to hear a wealth of anecdotes from his extraordinary life- without the washing up! “The Adventures of Andy Kershaw” sounds more like a blockbuster action movie than a civilised evening at Dorchester Corn Exchange - but if it’s a jam packed evening of escapades and entertainment you’re after, then here it is - all in the relaxing setting of the Corn Exchange, complete with cool beverage!

Tickets for this knock out event on June 3 are available from Dorchester Tourist Information Centre 01305 267992 - or online.

Andy Kershaw is perhaps best known for his promotion of world music in the UK . Tired of the Anglo-American rock monopoly on popular radio, Kershaw’s shows became known for his eclectic compilations of world music with particular influences from Africa. It was this ground breaking approach which won Kershaw his first Sony Award in 1987.

Kershaw’s globetrotting lifestyle has allowed him to blend two passions- music and politics. He has acted as correspondent for the BBC from such diverse locations as Angola, Sierra Leone and Rwanda- demonstrating the plight of these war torn nations to the world. True to form though, Kershaw has been keen to present a different perspective- along this vein, he completed a tour of the so called “axis of evil”: Iran, Iraq and North Korea, but focussed his attention on musical tradition, reminding us of the rich culture of this region that is so often forgotten.

Other Dorchester Festival 2012 highlights include: an evening of comedy and curry with Hardeep Singh, cricket legend Henry Olonga, and co-creator of the soundtrack for Hollywood blockbuster Blood Diamond Modou N’Diaye.

Spend an evening with international cricket star Henry Olonga

2012-05-16T22:33:00.000-07:00

Calling all cricket fans! This wet British summer might be spoiling your enjoyment on the pitch, but it’s not time for an early tea just yet!

Zimbabwean international cricket star Henry Olonga is coming to Dochester on Friday 1st June at 6pm as part of Dorchester Festival (1st-5th June) . Olonga is famous for donning a black arm band at the 2003 Cricket World Cup representing his mourning for the death of democracy in his home country under Rober Mugabe; an act of quiet heroism which was to have serious and lasting consequences. Hear first hand this extrordinary tale of courage and exile from the international cricket star himself. Tickets, available now, cost £7 or £5 (concessions) to buy call 01305 267992 or online

Henry Olonga was Zimbabwe’s first ever black cricketer and the youngest ever player to represent his country at international level. A fast bowler, he made his Test debut for Zimbabwe, aged 18 against Pakistan in 1995 and recorded career best Test figures of 5 for 70 against India in 1998. He still holds two out of three of the best bowling figures for a Zimbabwean bowler in One Day Internationals. He now lives in England and has embarked on careers in music, art, public speaking and cinematography.

Olonga’s autobiographical book “Blood, Sweat and Treason: My Story” which deals with the political protest that made him famous was long-listed for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year award and nominated for the ‘Best Autobiography’ award at the British Sports Book Awards 2011.

OUT IN THE OPEN: Sleeping Rough in a Dorset Town

2012-05-02T12:41:00.000-07:00

Out in the Open is a series of intimate portraits of homeless and vulnerably housed people who share their own unique stories presented through film, music, sampled sound and a dynamic visual installation. The film, with live improvised music, will be premiered at The Plaza Cinema in Dorchester on the 31th May 2012 as part of Dorchester Festival 2012.

Dorchester is a county town in rural Dorset, surrounded by beautiful countryside and steeped in history .It is a destination for holidaymakers and those escaping the hustle and bustle of the big cities to experience the rural idyll. It also has a homeless and vulnerably housed community. Some pass through the town, including the so called Road Men, whilst others sleep rough for longer periods of time, often going unnoticed by the wider community. This is a precarious existence with its roots in marital breakdown, unemployment, drug and alcohol abuse and chronic mental health issues.
Out in the Open was conceived as a project in the summer of 2011. Dorset based musician and composer Kathie Prince was commissioned by the Solo Trust, a Dorchester charity, to create a performance piece with members of the local community. The decision was made to focus on homelessness and base the project around the Hub drop – in centre for rough sleepers in Dorchester.

Due to the transient nature of the people involved, Kathie Prince chose to work with film, recorded sound, music and visual art. Bridport film maker, Clive Whaley came on board, as did sonic artist Adrian Newton and later on in the process Peter Snelling joined the team as visual artist in residence at the Hub. Their brief was to give a voice to the voiceless, to bring the issues of homelessness out into the open.

The result is extraordinarily candid and moving accounts of life lived out in the open. In the last few years several members of the homeless and vulnerably housed community in Dorchester have died, including one of those people involved in our project.
This project is dedicated to him and all those people affected by homelessness. The situation is getting worse in the UK. It could happen to any one of us.
Thursday 31st May 7.30pm Press Launch Plaza Cinema Trinity Street, Dorchester.
Friday 1st June 10.30pm Plaza Cinema Dorchester: late night showing
Saturday 2nd June 5pm OUT IN THE OPEN (in the open) Dorchester Market Car Park
Out in the Open Visual Installation, Dorchester town centre from Monday 29th May
__________________________ END_____________________________________

BACKGROUND:

OUT IN THE OPEN: The Project

Kathie Prince and Clive Whaley spent several months getting to know the staff, volunteers and those people using the Hub. It soon became clear that the nature of the project was to go with the flow and capture on film, digital recorder and paper, impromptu songs, tunes, poems and thoughts as they happened in the Hub and on the streets of Dorchester. Clive then began the process of filming and very quickly gathered remarkable interviews with people forced to sleep rough for many different reasons around the town.
Adrian Newton and Kathie Prince worked together, collecting and sampling sounds and spoken words for the live devised and improvised music which will be played in response to the film.
They worked members of Viva! The Dorchester Community Choir, devising and recording vocals based on interviews with homeless people who appear in “Out in the Open.” And they joined forces with other musicians to create the live musical element.
Artist Peter Snelling created striking life size paper cut outs of people he met at the drop in centre based on their ideas and experiences. These were pasted on walls around Dorchester town centre during the run up to the Dorchester Festival with the aim of making the invisible visible.
The result of the project is a series of intimate portraits of homeless and vulnerably housed people who share their own unique stories with us, presented through film, music, sampled sound and a dynamic visual installation.

For more information contact:

Kathie Prince - Buzz Music Projects
Producer, Musical Director, Out in the Open
tel: 01305 259201mob. 07826385301
email: kathiebuzz@talktalk.net

Kathie Prince
Producer, Musical Director
www.kathie-prince-singer-musician.co.uk
Kathie Prince is director of BUZZ Music Projects, and a musician, singer, composer who has worked extensively throughout the UK, Ireland and abroad. She has many years experience facilitating and managing youth and community projects, working in schools as a music/voice specialist, performing and devising in mainstream and experimental music theatre and collaborating with dancers, musicians and visual artists.
Projects include directing “Sounds Unusual,” a major experimental music festival on London’s South Bank, composing and performing music for the BBC children’s TV, directing music for community plays in the Orkney Islands, cross community work in Belfast with Opera Northern Ireland, experimental theatre in Assisi, Italy and performing as an actor musician at the Lyric Theatre , Belfast and Druid theatre, Galway, Ireland.

Clive Whaley
Film Maker

www.clivewhaley.co.uk

Clive Whaley is a Bridport based filmmaker. After a 20 year career in sports management and consultancy Clive bought a video camera simply to record a family holiday and then became fascinated by the filmmaking process. He progressed from family videos to corporate DVDs for clients such as the National Lottery and Honda and eventually, television documentaries. His film about West Dorset farmer Jim Armstrong: "Dorset Days: a year in the life of Longhorn Jim" has been shown eight times on BBC FOUR. His most recent full length work is an 'operamentary' called "Lonely Boys" staged at Bridport Arts Centre in 2011. Combining documentary interviews with the '3 ages of man' on film and Clive's original songs on stage, "Lonely Boys" played to packed houses and standing ovations.

Clive has undertaken the filming and editing of "Out in the Open" and is extremely grateful to all those who feature in the film for allowing him into their world and for their openness and honesty on camera.

Peter Snelling
Visual Artist
www.mypockets.co.uk
Peter Snelling is a graduate from the National Film and Television School and now works as a fiction and documentary filmmaker and artist.
Much of his work involves working with people who have never made a film or creative work before but have something important to say. The films and art made in partnership with these people give voice to powerful experiences that would otherwise go unheard.
Peters films have been screen on BBC2, Channel 4, Virgin Media, at the BFI’s Essentially British Festival, The New York Museum of the Moving Image, The London Short Film Festival, The Edinburgh Festival and Encounters Festival and won the BBC Big Screen award for Best Documentary, Best Film at the Chicago Children’s Film Festival and Best Community Film at Cinemagic Belfast as well as 7 UK Film Council First Light awards. His Films have over 70,000 online views.

Adrian Newton
Sonic Artist
http://nemeton.org.uk

Adrian is a sound artist who has contributed to a number of festivals and other sonic arts events in Dorset and beyond, including the Sonic Arts Expo, Inside Out and Hubworld. He has also regularly contributed site-specific soundworks to performances by Wimborne Community Theatre over a number of years. Previous projects focusing on homeless people have included 'Home from home', commissioned by Poole Arts Development Unit in 2007, which was the focus of an installation in the Lighthouse, Poole.

On Cigarette Papers * free event * 20 April 7.30pm

2012-04-11T10:16:00.003-07:00

Pam Zinnemann Hope's extraordinary story On Cigarette Papers at Dorchester ARTS on Friday April 20th is a free event and not as described in the programme

Friday 20 April • PAM ZINNEMANN HOPE: ON CIGARETTEPAPERS • BOOK LAUNCH

DORCHESTER ARTS CENTRE • 8pm (doors and bar 7.30pm) •
An extraordinary story begins with Pam’s parents’ elopement from Nazi Germany. After her mother’s death in 1990, Pam finds a tiny pile of cigarette papers with writing penciled in Russian in her hand. Surely these are recipes?
They are the starting point for a journey of discovery, stretching from 1905 to 1995, a story of love and exile, dislocation and survival.
“The cigarette papers of Pam Zinnemann-Hope’s title stand for the frailty and resilience of her grandparents, parents and their contemporaries. Pam’s poems, written in idiosyncratic, sometimes fractured voices, tell a secret history and allow us insights into a wounded century andits personal legacy.” (Paul Hyland)

Children's animated films for the Cultural Olympiad

2012-04-01T00:38:00.000-07:00

Talking rocks, shipwrecks off Chesil Beach, a stolen Olympic torch, and moonlit ﬁshing for squid all feature in a trilogy of animated ﬁlms by primary school children for the Maritime Mix - the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad by the sea.

Children at three schools overlooking the Olympic sailing events have been working with artists from Dorchester Arts over the past three months to write, draw, animate and create The Portland Race, The Helpful Dead and The Big Splash. The ﬁlms, which premiere on April 23, 25 and 26, are one of the projects awarded the London 2012 Inspire mark, which recognises exceptional and innovative projects inspired by the 2012 Games.

They will be screened over the summer at the big screen live sites, the National Sailing Academy and the ICCI 360 dome on Weymouth beach.

Seb Coe, Chair of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games said the project had helped the young ﬁlmmakers fulﬁll their potential. “I am proud that with the help of partners such as Dorchester ARTS, we are delivering our vision to use the power of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games to boost participation in animation and ﬁlmmaking in this way.”

Project co-ordinator Alastair Nisbet said the project had been a transformative experience for the children involved. “They have produced three wonderful stories with terriﬁc drama, beautiful drawing and extraordinary soundtracks - they should be incredibly proud of what they have achieved.”

The Portland Race, by eight and nine year olds at Underhill Junior School tells of a ﬁsherman and his son and their moonlit adventure in search of squid off Chesil cove.

The Helpful Dead, by nine and ten year olds at Wyke Regis Junior School - loosely based on the sinking of the Royal Adelaide - is the story of a grieving mother, a drowning boy and an Olympic sailor in trouble.

The Big Splash, by nine and ten year olds at St John’s Primary School tells of a stolen Olympic torch, a naughty seagull, and four best friends determined not to give up.

Project Producer Sharon Hayden said the 2012 Sailing events had been a perfect subject to based the ﬁlms around. “We are incredibly grateful to our major funder First Light for believing in us. Thanks to their support, these children have produced some remarkable work which will be seen by thousands of people at the Olympics this summer.” She said the team are already being asked to run a follow-up ﬁlm project with different groups of young people.

The Dorchester ARTS team who worked with more than 130 children in the three schools included visual artists Nic Rawling and Delphine Jones, dramatherapist Sharon Hayden, music producer Mickey Wills, animator and ﬁlm maker Alastair Nisbet and scriptwriting advisor and ﬁlm mentor Pete Snelling. The project was funded by the Lottery through the BFI’s First Light initiative with additional support from b-side, Dorchester ARTS, Departure Arts, Plymouth University and the schools themselves.

Join the Festival Fun !

2012-03-04T11:19:00.000-08:00

Dorchester Festival 1 - 5 JUNE 2012
The World Comes to Town

Dorchester Festival is back - and with your support it’s going to be better than ever - five extraordinary days of international Comedy, Music, Theatre, Dance and Cultural events.

The biannual event - one of the most vibrant in the south west - attracts around 20,000 people of all ages into the county town for a wide variety of free performances in the Borough Gardens and entertainment across the town.

For the first time this year, there will be two big parades through Dorchester - a huge Jurassic procession with Britain’s funkiest band, Weapons of Sound plus the Monster Ceilidh band who lead a procession to Salisbury Field on Monday night for the start of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations on Tuesday.

Broadcaster, raconteur, writer and cook, Hardeep Singh Kohli is offering a wonderfully funny, laid back evening’s entertainment in the Corn Exchange and Kawa Circus from Rajastan and the Mighty Zulu Nation from Kwa-Zulu Natal will thrill crowds at the Borough Gardens with their breath taking circus and pulsating African rhythms.

With award-winning comedy at the County Museum, World music in the Corn Exchange and a series of workshops and performances for local schools, Dorchester Festival 2012 will be a fitting curtain raiser to the Cultural Olympiad events later in the summer.

Rising pop stars take the stage

2012-02-26T10:29:00.003-08:00

Saturday 10 March Pop Club Showcase

Dorchester's rising pop stars take the stage on Saturday March 10th for a showcase gig that everyone’s invited to. The current crop of Pop Club graduates have spent the past year devising an exciting mix of pop, rock and blues tracks. All twenty-seven members of the club will be performing live on stage at Dorchester Arts Centre at 7.30pm.

Pop Club meets every Saturday during term-time and offers youngsters with a passion to create and perform their own music the chance to play acoustic and electric instruments - saxophones, trumpets, guitars, percussion instruments including kit drums, cellos, violins and flutes and keyboards - and write their own vocal parts..

Pop Club Director Mickey Wills says: “We have such an amazingly talented bunch of young people here in West Dorset.”
“As part of their ARTS AWARD, run by the Arts Council and supported by Youth Music, our graduates have been teaching the skills they have learnt in Pop Club and acting as music mentors to the younger students.”

“ This mentoring is so valuable as you see these youngsters grow in confidence and encourage the next generation of young music makers to believe in themselves and develop their talents.”

“We’re really looking forward to this evening which has been entirely organised by our graduates who are laying on a buffet and prizes along with some great original music.”

Tickets for the gig are £5 on the door at Dorchester Arts Centre.
For more information: 01305 266926

THE SECRET GARDEN Locked doors, hidden keys, a curious robin...

2011-12-24T01:17:00.001-08:00

The Secret Garden robin makes a new friend

Thursday 5, Friday 6 and Saturday 7 January
DORCHESTER CORN EXCHANGE

7pm + Saturday matinee 2pm
£12 / £10 members / £8 under 18's / family £35 / Member's family £30

If you are looking for first class family entertainment come and see The Secret Garden - a new adaptation by Angel Exit Theatre to celebrate the centenary of Frances Hodgson Burnett's much-loved classic.

It sees spoilt orphan, Mary Lennox plucked from the bright vibrancy of India in 1899 and transplanted to a mysterious old house full of secrets on the grey Yorkshire moors. As Mary battles loneliness she encounters locked doors, a curious robin, hidden keys, and strange cries ringing down the corridor...

Presented in Angel Exit's rich visual style, the show blends storytelling with striking physicality, beautiful puppets, and original music. It is directed by Tamsin Fessey and Lynne Forbes who brought the hugely popular production Moonfleet to Dorset.

Box Office: Dorchester Arts Centre 01305 266926 or Tourist Information Office 01305 267992 or online
Stuck for a Christmas present idea?

Why not give your friends and family tickets to see The Secret Garden.
You can purchase tickets for any of the four shows and your tickets will be sent to you in a special limited edition Secret Garden presentation card. Cards are blank inside for you to write your own message.

If you would like to take advantage of this special seasonal offer please phone the Box Office 01305 266926. We will post you the card and tickets or you can collect them from Dorchester Arts Centre.

We look forward to seeing you.
Merry Christmas!

Lantern procession postponed !!

2011-12-15T04:07:00.001-08:00

Tonight's (December 15th) Lantern procession through Dorchester to the Borough Gardens for carols and a visit by Santa is postponed because of the severe weather warning. We're hoping to re-arrange the procession for next Thursday December 22nd - but this is still to be confirmed. Please check back for more information

Lanterns will bring Christmas magic to the Gardens

2011-11-25T04:26:00.001-08:00

Christmas wouldn’t be the same without Dorchester Arts’ magical annual Lantern Parade.

This year it will be part of a fabulous community celebration of Christmas organised by Friends of the Borough Gardens.On Thursday 15 December, children from local schools will lead a procession through the town centre carrying giant lanterns and take part in the Carol Service at the Borough Gardens bandstand at 6.30pm.

Joining the children will be members of VIVA! - Dorchester’s Community Choir, plus bell ringers, members of Serendipity recorder ensemble and the Dunrovia Silver Band.

The carol singing will be lead by the Encore Singers and there will be hot spiced apple juice, hot chocolate and mince pies to keep the spirits up… plus a hoped-for surprise visit from Father Christmas ! Keep a look out for large sky lanterns flying above the trees along with Santa’ reindeers…..!

The lantern parade leaves the Corn Exchange at 6pm. Everyone is welcome to join in the procession and carry a lantern.

This event is supported by Dorchester Town Council.

Secret Garden set for UK Tour

2011-11-17T23:02:00.001-08:00

New adaptation to celebrate the centenary of Hodgson Burnett’s much-loved classic.

The Secret Garden has been created by acclaimed physical theatre company, Angel Exit Theatre. The show will premiere at the Dorchester Corn Exchange before setting off on a four month UK tour, performing 60 times in 36 venues, ranging from Buxton Opera House to village halls around Somerset, Dorset, Kent and Wiltshire. The tour takes in the oldest theatre in Wales - Monmouth’s Savoy Theatre - and the second oldest theatre in England, Margate Theatre Royal.

"Theatrical invention is everywhere...visually exciting throughout, this production never loses the quality of a life-changing adventure story" -THE STAGE (on Moonfleet)

Angel Exit unearth the dark heart of The Secret Garden, which sees spoilt orphan, Mary Lennox, plucked from the bright vibrancy of India in 1899 and transplanted to a mysterious old house full of secrets on the grey Yorkshire moors. As Mary battles loneliness she encounters locked doors, a curious robin, hidden keys, and strange cries ringing down the corridor…

Presented in Angel Exit's rich visual style and blending ensemble storytelling with striking physicality, beautiful puppets, haunting songs and an original soundtrack, The Secret Garden is performed by an ensemble of five. “The story is about grief and about how people push through it, keep going, and eventually grow” says the director.

“There is so much vivid theatricality and inventiveness at work here that I am already looking forward to its next show” – LYN GARDNER, THE GUARDIAN (on Imaginary Prisons)

The Secret Garden has been written by Co-Artistic Directors Tamsin Fessey and Lynne Forbes under the guidance of playwright Phil Porter (Beauty and the Beast – Unicorn Theatre, Alice in Wonderland – Northampton Theatre Royal). It is directed by Tamsin Fessey (The Black Curtain, Moonfleet), with robin and fox puppets created by Polly Beestone (Beauty and the Beast – Unicorn Theatre) and original music by Tom Ball (from the band Marthas and Arthurs). The costumes and sets are designed by Jodie Gardner, who returned to her college, AUCB, in Bournemouth, where students made the costumes. Mary Lennox is played by Ashleigh Cheadle (Blind Summit, Complicite). Angel Exit regulars Lynne Forbes, Simon Carroll-Jones and Henry Douthwaite, are joined by new company member Max Macintosh.

“They delighted and astonished the packed audience with the extraordinary vision and energy of the work.” –BLACKMORE VALE MAGAZINE (on Moonfleet)

The Secret Garden is co-produced by Dorchester Arts and Bridport Arts Centre and co-commissioned by Lighthouse, Poole’s Centre for the Arts and Activate. It is funded by Arts Council England, and the design of the production was paid for through a crowd funding campaign on the We Fund website.

In Dorchester the company will be joined by members of Dorchester Youth Theatre who will perform in the prologue to the show evoking the sights and sounds of India in 1899.

The Secret Garden will be performing at the Dorchester’s Corn Exchange on Thursday 5, Friday 6 and Saturday 7 January at 7pm + Saturday matinee 2pm – to book tickets, contact Dorchester Arts 01305 266926 or Tourist Information Office 01305 267992 or book online

For further information, visit www.angelexit.co.uk

Civil rights play comes to Dorset ahead of New York

2011-11-17T22:43:00.001-08:00

Call Mr. Robeson, a passionate and powerful award-winning play about the African American civil rights activist, actor and singer Paul Robeson, is coming to Dorset ahead of its New York debut at the Carnegie Hall. Written and performed by Liverpool-based playwright and singer Tayo Aluko, with piano accompaniment by Leeds-based pianist Michael Conliffe, this play was recently chosen by The Guardian’s theatre critic Michael Billington as his top pick for things to see in London. The show is a rollercoaster journey through actor and singer Paul Robeson's remarkable life, showing how his radical activism caused his downfall.

Robeson fought for racial justice but when he became too outspoken for the establishment's liking he was branded a traitor to his country, harassed and forbidden to perform or travel.

The play features some famous songs and speeches, including a dramatic rendition of Ol’ Man River, and a spectacularly defiant testimony to the McCarthy’s Senate House Un-American Activities Committee.

Aluko who has performed this play on stages across the UK, USA, Canada and Nigeria said: “Paul Robeson was introduced to me relatively late in life, but has taken hold of me to such an extent that telling his story is now almost all I do.” “It really is wonderful to see so many people – young and old – being so thrilled and moved by Robeson’s story. “I am sure there will be many people who remember him with fondness, and others who will be profoundly changed and inspired by being introduced to him for perhaps the first time. ”

See Call Mr Robeson at Bridport Arts Centre on Thursday 1 December and at Dorchester Arts Centre on Friday 2 December.

Both performances start at 8pm and tickets are £10 plus concessions.

Box Office for Bridport 01308 424204 for Dorchester 01305 266926.

Festival success for young filmmakers

2011-11-17T22:09:00.001-08:00

Film success: Assistant head Craig Holloway with students Jack, Emily, Oli and Jade

Filmmakers from Beechcroft St Paul’s Primary School in Weymouth are celebrating after their film The Sadness of King George was picked for a screening at Britain’s oldest film festival.

The three minute animation, made with a team of artists from Dorchester ARTS was chosen from hundreds of entries by the Co-operative Film Festival at the National Media Museum in Bradford.

“It was too far for the children to go, but two of use from the artistic team went to collect their certificates and badges,” explained Dorchester ARTS Artistic Director, Sharon Hayden. “We met five members of the film selection panel who were very complimentary about the project - they said it had really put Weymouth on the map.”

The Olympic-related drama features King George 3rd in a race against time and a race through time to save the 2012 Sailing events.

Assistant head Craig Holloway whose class made the film said: “I love this film and the children loved making it even more. It means so much to all of them and will be one of those life changing moments in a child’s life.”

Ten year old Lucy, one of the Year Five production team added: “It was an awesome experience to be involved - I am really grateful to have had the chance.”

Sharon Hayden said Dorchester ARTS was planning a number of other Olympic-themed films with local schools over the coming months.

You can watch online at: http://www.firstlightonline.co.uk/movies/the-sadness-of-king-george

The film was lottery funded through the National Film Council’s First Light initiative.

Transglobal Underground in Dorchester - November 4th

2011-10-31T15:51:00.001-07:00

Friday 4th November TRANSGLOBAL UNDERGROUND
Dorchester Arts Centre 8pm (doors and bar 7.30pm) £12/£10

FREE AFTER SHOW PARTY!

Dorchester Arts is thrilled to be welcoming the legendary TRANSGLOBAL UNDERGROUND for an exclusive performance by three members of this world famous music collective on Friday 4 November. Following the gig at Dorchester Arts there will be a free After Show Party at the Old Ship Inn, High West Street, Dorchester hosted by ShindigNation and featuring DJ's Biggabush and Full Moon Tunes.

Award winning pioneers of the dance fusion scene, Transglobal Underground are regarded as one of the UKs best live acts. Currently in their 20th year, having performed everwhere from London to Kazakhstan, from India to South Africa and from Australia to Morocco, this year they released their 9th album 'The Stone Turntable.'

This show, presented in association with the Urban Wastelands Exhibition at Dorchester Arts Centre, brings together three of the central members of the collective: founder members, producers, DJs and multi-instrumentalists Hamid Man Tu and Tim Whelan, along with sitarist Sheema Mukherjee, known in her own right for her work with the Imagined Village, Cornershop, Andy Shepherd and many others.

Transglobal Underground have been present at some of the most significant historical turning points of the century: they travelled to Eastern Europe and played in Sarajevo to mark the end of the war in Yugoslavia and they marked the dawn of the Millenium in 2000 playing next to the Thames in London at midnight.

Their mix of eclectic sounds, percussion and flamboyant performance has been a sensation on the festival scene and earned them a world-wide reputation for creating ground-breaking dance music. Their performances fuse western dance music with Arabic, Asian and African music and reveal influences from DJ culture, Indian classical, reggae, bhangra, hip-hop, underground art and community politics.

This is a rare treat for anyone who loves great music and dancing. For more information visit: www.transglobalundergound.net

TICKETS £12 / £10 concessions from DORCHESTER ARTS 01305 266926 or TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRE 267992

The Dancer and the Devil - exotic cabaret - Thursday 20 Oct

2011-10-19T06:49:00.000-07:00

If you enjoy theatre and cabaret you are in for a treat this Thursday when Cornish company Rogue Theatre bring their latest exotic and entrancing mix of cabaret and theatre to Dorchester Arts Centre....

"This is amazing, I saw it in the woods in Cornwall this summer - it is very, very good" (From one friend on Facebook)

THE DANCER & THE DEVIL
Thursday 20 October 8pm

Set in a secret bar, a club, a speak-easy in a country smothered by war, Cornish company Rogue Theatre present a cabaret of those displaced, those who have had to hide, to run away from their past lives with hastily packed cases bursting with secrets and stories.
Bright, sparkling and full of comic mischief, The Dancer and The Devil invites you to lose yourself in a world of twisted cabaret, the smell of woodsmoke and perfume, the taste of danger, and the wild thrill of the forest..

The company draw on the stories of gypsy and Jewish communities who survived the Second World War as Ollie Oakenshield co-founder of Rogue explains:
"In our story, people have hidden in the woods but they are found by soldiers and have to entertain them with cabaret-style performance. There is also a love story interwoven with it."

With writing and text written by Anna Maria Murphy (Kneehigh Theatre; Red Shoes, Trystan and Yseult, National Theatre and BBC Radio 4) resplendent live music by Julian Gaskell (Julian Gaskell and the Ragged Trousered Philanthropists).

" An exotic and erotic mix of dance, music, poetry, prose and circus skills... surprising and, at the end, devastating."
(Julia Taylor, What's On Stage)
See the review in Dorset Echo What's On Wednesday 19 October
http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/leisure/stage/9313637.Exotic_cabaret_mix_hits_Dorchester_Arts_Centre/

Dorchester Arts Centre 8pm (door and bar 7.30pm) £11 / £9 members / £8 under 18s and concessions. For ages 10+

www.roguetheatre.co.uk/dancer-and-the-devil

Paper Aeroplanes fly into Dorch - October 7th

2011-09-27T07:13:00.000-07:00

With songs this good, they deserve a far wider audience, says the BBC’s Robin Denselow of upcoming Welsh music sensation Paper Aeroplanes. The duo have added Dorchester ARTS to their busy national tour - and it could be a great time to catch them - especially at a bargain ticket price of just £6.
Although they only launched their debut album two years ago, Sarah Howells and Richard Llewellyn have a lengthy history - and a national following on the Welsh music scene.

Debut album The Day we ran into the Sea with its distinctive sound under Sarah’s beautiful vocals was described by the BBC’s Adam Walton as “brilliantly crafted and stoked from a bruised heart’s embers”, and BBC Radio Wales as “the finest radio album to come out of Wales since Rockferry”.
Since its release they have made the Radio 2 playlist and supported acts as varied as Ron Sexsmith, Ed Sheeran, Marina and the Diamonds and Chris Wood, as well as securing a live session with the legendary Bob Harris.
Having been compared to the likes of Gemma Hayes, Turin Brakes and Hope Sandoval, this year they released mini-album “We are Ghosts” to more critical acclaim and reviews such as “With songs this good, Paper Aeroplanes deserve a far wider audience” – BBC Music’s Robin Denselow; “Album of the Month” – Maverick Magazine and being picked for The Guardian’s “F&M playlist”.

The Final Chapter...

2011-08-19T00:35:00.000-07:00

COMBINED ARTS WEEK 2011
Presents
The Final Chapter

From: THE BOOK OF KNOWLEDGE - a true account of the mysteries and secrets of Ancient Egypt:
‘The people of Egypt shall now know the greatest of all secrets. It lies in……….’

Lies in what?

Only The Immortal One knows the answer; and she has travelled far off somewhere into the future taking the final words with her.

The Pharaoh despatches a search party to find her and persuade her to return to her own time to complete THE FINAL CHAPTER.

Will they succeed? And will they be hindered or helped on their quest by a biker gang, some schoolchildren, and the proprietors of a burger bar and a launderette?

Led by professional theatre directors Julian Barnicoat and Pete Thorogood, Combined Arts Week celebrates its 21st year in Dorchester. Attended by young people aged 10-18 this year’s production is full of ‘Egyptian promise’ and will include plenty of drama, comedy, song and dance – all put together in just one week.

Performances at Thomas Hardye School, Queen’s Avenue, Dorchester on Friday 26 August at 7.30pm and Saturday 27 August at 2.30pm. (Bar open half an hour before the show starts.) Tickets will be available on the door. £5.00 adult and £3.00 under 18’s

Students' film to be screened at National Media Museum

2011-07-21T15:30:00.000-07:00

Young filmmakers are celebrating after the news that their animated short The Sadness of King George - made with a team from Dorchester Arts - has been selected for screening at a major film festival this autumn.

The three minute epic telling the story of Weymouth’s original holidaymaker King George 3rd and his race through time to save the Olympics will be screened at the Co-operative Film Festival at the National Media Museum in Bradford on October 6th.

The film - dubbed the other King’s speech - was made by a class of year five students at Weymouth’s Beechcroft St Pauls Primary School, working with a team of artists and filmmakers from Dorchester ARTS.

“It’s a huge feather in our cap to be selected for this Festival,” said project co-ordinator Alastair Nisbet. “The children are thrilled that their work will be screened at such a prestigious national event and that it is helping to give Weymouth bay and the Olympic sailing events a national profile.”

“We are now planning a series of follow up films with three more Weymouth and Portland primary schools which will be screened at the Sailing Academy and the big screen on Weymouth beach next summer.”

The Sadness of King George was supported by the Lottery through the UK Film Council’s First Light Initiative, the Weymouth and Portland Partnership, Departure Arts, Beechcroft St Pauls Primary and Dorchester Arts.

WE SING !

2011-07-08T02:46:00.000-07:00

Children from four Dorchester schools work with Community Choir VIVA and the Colliton Singers in an extraordinary concert directed by Kathie Prince - WE SING !
The event - part of Dorchester ARTS’ two year Youth Music project Music Live - was staged at Stratton Village hall on July 3rd 2011.
A 45 minute DVD of the concert - including the legendary Frankie Armnstrong - will be on sale at Dorchester ARTS in early August 2011.

Back in Dorchester - internationally-acclaimed Shiva Nova !

2011-06-19T00:48:00.000-07:00

Internationally acclaimed fusion ensemble Shiva Nova return to Dorchester this week for a series of workshops in schools and concert at the Corn Exchange on June 24.

“It’s seven years since we Shiva Nova appeared in Dorchester Festival – and we delighted to be welcoming them back,” said Artistic Director Sharon Hayden.

This time these talented musicians will be in residence for three days working with Year 8 students in Dorchester’s Middle Schools. Over a hundred children will take part in workshops in Indian percussion, African drumming and Indian vocal harmonies.

“We are really pleased to have received funding from West Dorset District Council to support this work. It’s a fantastic opportunity for our school students to work directly with these leading musicians from India, Africa and Europe.”

Following the workshops some twenty-five students will be performing with Shiva Nova in a programme full of energy and spontaneity at Dorchester’s Corn Exchange at 8pm on Friday 24 June. To book tickets ring Dorchester ARTS Box Office on 01305 266926, or book online at: wegottickets.com. To see all Dorchester ARTS events visit: www.dorchesterarts.org.uk.

Teacher Ian scoops Open2011 £500 first prize

2011-05-27T23:41:00.000-07:00

Teacher Ian Dyke from Weymouth has won the £500 first prize in the fourth Dorchester ARTS Open art exhibition with his striking abstract painting System.
Ian, who teaches at St Nicholas and St Lawrence's Primary School said the work started as a study of field systems in Portugal but then gained a life of its own.

"I'm delighted to have won - especially as I was up against some really good competition," said Ian who received his prize from Dorchester ARTS' strategy director Chris Huxley.

Other winners were Lucas Weschke for his block print Token and Sarah Bunnell for her Giclee print Surfsce Tension. The exhibition, in the gallery at Dorchester ARTS is open every day until June 12, admission free.

Winning smile: Ian receives his £500 cheque from Chris Huxley of Dorchester ARTS

Open 2011 winner Ian Dyke explains his painting to Dorchester Mayor Tess James

Round off the weekend with Dorchester ARTS Sunday Sessions !

2011-05-11T09:35:00.000-07:00

Spend a relaxed Sunday evening in the company of some of the best of our local musicians and performers. With a mix of acoustic rock and blues, roots, folk, jazz and classical music. And a keenly priced bar that’s open all evening. LOCAL and ACOUSTIC is what the Sunday Sessions are all about, because we’ll be bringing you the very best music in the cool and relaxed ambiance of our new Gallery space.

What better way to finish off the weekend!

Sunday 11th September:
Helen Coombs with Salon Baroque
Dorchester Arts Centre 8pm (doors & bar 7.30pm) £5 buy tickets
Helen will be rocking out the harpsichord together with her Baroque string players to give us an evening of the very best music and gossip from the 17th century - and beyond!
Its been a long time since Dorchester Arts Centre has hosted classical music and we hope this will be the first of many occasions.

Sunday 9th October:
Bag Of Rats
Dorchester Arts Centre 8pm (doors & bar 7.30pm) £5 buy tickets

The Bag of Rats musical world, like the world of their furry namesakes, has no borders. They draw on Country, Blues, Punk, Jazz and Traditional songs and tunes, as well as their own original material, to create their verminous, psychedelic concoction. Committed to the swing and primal throb of traditional music, Bag of Rats play with joyous abandon that produces enough energy to give you sunburn.
So come and spend some time on planet Bag of Rats; just remember your sun block!

www.bagofrats.co.uk

Sunday 13th November:
y’Strel’s Band
Dorchester Arts Centre 8pm (doors & bar 7.30pm) £5 buy tickets
y’Strel’s Band back at DAC for an evening of Music Hall and Victorian Parlour Ballads to help ease your way into the winter months.
www.reverbnation.com/ystrelsband
or just google for the crazy YouTube videos

Sunday 11th December:
Messiah in an Art Gallery
Dorchester Arts Centre 8pm (doors & bar 7.30pm) £5 buy tickets
Yes, yes - we all try to catch at least one Messiah before the turkey arrives, but this is the one where you’re positively encouraged to turn up with your score and JOIN IN! With a funky band of professional musicians and a director of international repute, this is the Messiah to be seen at!
more info: ystrel@tiscali.co.uk

Judgement day for Open 2011 entries

2011-05-05T01:26:00.000-07:00

Members of the Open2011 judging panel meet today to consider this year's entries in the Dorchester ARTS Open art exhibition.

Entries in this year's show are down, but that was no surprise, says Open2011 administrator Suzie Cox.

"With no Dorchester Festival this year and no Dorset Art Weeks, we were expecting entries to be less than last year, but what has really delighted us is the very high quality of work that has been submitted. It's going to be a very interesting session for our judges."

The juding panel, supported by Suzy Cox and Simon Barber, is as follows: Nigel Lord overall winner of the 2010 Open, Jane Burden of ArtXtra, visual art administrator Selina Malins and artist Julie Herring.

Work selected for the Exhibition will on show in the Dorchester ARTS gallery from May 28 - June 12.

A night to remember...

2011-04-01T01:52:00.000-07:00

The stars were out in force for the glamorous red carpet premiere of Weymouth’s newest movie…

The Sadness of King George - “the other King’s speech” - is the second UK Film Council funded movie about a King George - this time George 3rd.

The film, bringing together the town’s most famous holidaymaker and next year’s sailing Olympics, has been made by Beechcroft St Paul’s Primary School’s year five class working with a team of artists and film-makers from Dorchester ARTS.

The three minute epic is being released on DVD and shown on big screens around the UK.

“It’s a dramatic race against time and a race through time,” explained project leader Alastair Nisbet. “Will King George be able to ride his white horse back to Weymouth in time to save the Olympics from disaster ?”

“The school has been fantastic - they have embraced the project with huge enthusiasm and had the bravery to abandon their curriculum for a fortnight. The result is a wonderful piece of work. The story, drama, drawing, voices and music are all the children’s. Our role has been to support them through the process.

After research ideas and developing the story and script, children acted out dramatic scenes with drama specialist Sharon Hayden before creating them as drawn animated sequences.

Punch and Judy expert Wendy Wharam came into school to give them ideas about using Punch as a character and international artist Nic Rawling from the Paper Cinema helped inspire their drawing. They filmed each other and made their animated characters walk and talk in the same way - and then worked with music producer Mickey Wills to create a soundtrack.”

The finished film is being screened at a variety of locations including the big screen on Weymouth beach this summer. DVDs are available from Beechcroft St Paul’s School and Dorchester ARTS and will be streamed online.

The project has been supported by the Lottery through the UK Film Council’s First Light Initiative, the Weymouth and Portland Partnership, Departure Arts, Beechcroft St Pauls Primary and Dorchester Arts.
pictures by members of the crew

Creative professionals of the future: members of he crew strike a pose on the red carpet

Glamorous: Mandy Powell and class teacher Craig Holloway arrive for the show.

On the red carpet: Nikki Edgar and her escort arrive for the premiere