Purbeck Art Weeks Festival 2025: 24 May – 8 June

We are delighted to be offering such an exciting mix of exhibitions, Open Studios, concerts, performances, talks and workshops, showcasing exceptional local and international talent. All the details are here on our website and in our Festival Brochure.

Our artists will welcome you to their Open Studios where you’ll find unique paintings, sculpture, glass work, textiles, ceramics and more. Rollington Barn (near Corfe Castle), the festival hub, hosts our extensive collective exhibition – here you can find out about all our concerts, talks and other activities. It’s a great place to start your visit – with a delicious light lunch or wicked cakes and coffee in the Courtyard Café. Next to the café is our Pop-Up Studio tent with different artists in action every day – and across the way in the Byre is an imaginative display of work on the theme of Myths, Monsters and Legends by young people involved in our Purbeck Young Artists scheme.

At the far end of the Byre you will find this year’s interactive installation – a kinetic sculpture called ‘Scrolling’ by Emma Browning. Do go along and have a scroll.

New on the visual arts front is an exhibition of emerging and established artists in the National Trust Castle View Welcome Centre – during the second week of PAW only.

Music lovers are in for a treat, with an exceptional line-up of concerts spanning centuries of sound. Expect everything from early baroque masterpieces to lively 20th-century Latin rhythms to experimental
electronic fusion from Finland, performed by some of the finest musicians from around the world. This includes our new mini-festival weekend (Fri 30 May – Sun 1 June) where you can immerse yourself in captivating vocal and instrumental performances.

Local award-winning author Nick Jubber and Dorset folk musician/story teller Tim Laycock come together for a one-nightonly celebration and exploration of stories, from Purbeck ghost tales to vampire stories from Eastern Europe and more. And once again the Purbeck Poets will be offering their friendly open mic poetry evening.

Do get involved and come to one of our workshops – there is a singing workshop for all levels with Stile Antico, a writing workshop for adults and a story-telling workshop for children (4-8yrs) with Nick Jubber.

We hope you all find something to inspire, enjoy and excite you, during our celebration of the arts and community in Purbeck!

Charlotte Heath Chair, Purbeck Art Weeks Festival