Art in Poundbury was started in 2019 as the Casterbridge Art Society. The activities of the Art Club rapidly expanded to include an exhibition and the name was changed to Art in Poundburv. As activities increased further the decision was taken in 2023 to form a community interest company encompassing both the art club and the events activities. Art in Poundbury CIC was born. It is run by a group of Poundbury and Dorchester residents and its activities are supported by local volunteers.
The Club remains a core part of the company but now we do much more besides.
The Winter Exhibition a major annual event now in it’s sixth ?) year, takes place over ten days in late November December and is held in the Duchy of Cornwall’s Jubilee Hall in Poundbury. Continuous revolving exhibitions by local artists are displayed for sale in Crossroads Café and Pip’s Café and Meeting Hub. Each year we organize a major plein air event and participate as “Art in the Sunflowers in the annual charity Sunflower Trail run by Maiden Castle Farm. These latter two are open to both professional and amateur artists.
We want to help make art accessible to all and so we organise a variety of community events: a Community Arts Day as part of the Winter Exhibition, creative workshops in our local first schools, senior living establishments and other community groups. The latest venture is a bimonthly Art and Art Lovers Social at the Crossroads Café.
As a community interest company we invest in the local community, whether that be by the time and effort given to local projects or fund raising for local causes. Our winter prize draw held during the 2024 winter exhibition raised over £2,000 for the Dorchester County Hospital Critical Care and arts in the Hospital Appeal.