Registered Charity
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About us
Who we are
Dorset Visual Arts (DVA) is a not for profit organisation and registered charity. DVA has a membership of over 250 artists, designers and makers who live and, or practice in Dorset. Some of the Members have national and international reputations. DVA is about interaction, collaboration and, importantly, creative development. DVA’s activities recognise that artists have different interests and needs in developing their work and careers, yet are so often left to find their way in isolation, particularly in a mainly rural county.
DVA is known for its biennial, flagship event, Dorset Art Weeks (DAW), reputedly the largest biennial Open Studios Event in the country. Research data shows DAW benefits the Dorset economy by approx. £2.1M. The trading arm of DVA will continue to run Dorset Art Weeks as a visual arts event open to all artists practising in Dorset, regardless of DVA membership. The most recent Dorset Art Weeks ran 25 May - 9 June 2024 and will return in 2026.
The charity arm of DVA will now focus on the creative and professional development of its artists through its different Membership categories and in June 2023 DVA relaunched its Standard Membership offer with an improved range of benefits for Members and a more inclusive offer for artists living and working in Dorset. Involvement for Members will focus on exhibition opportunities during Dorset Art Weeks, the Sherborne House programme, and plans for a range of new activities from 2025 as well as other blended activities such as residencies, workshops, network meetings and get togethers.
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.
