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About PAW

Purbeck Art Weeks (PAW) was started in 2001 by a small group of visual artists who wanted to open their Studios to the public. In 2012 a performing arts dimension was added to complement the visual arts, and PAW became a fully rounded festival embracing all the arts. It changed from being a group of artists (an unincorporated association) into a charitable company limited by guarantee. It takes place in the last week of May for a fortnight.

Natalie Clein was PAW’s music director in 2012, and started the Purbeck Chamber Music Festival. This developed through PAW until the decision to make it an independent charity/organisation in November 2016 – at which point it was renamed the Purbeck International Chamber Music Festival (PICMF). This takes place at the beginning of September each year.

Usually there are around 40 Open Studios during the two week Festival. The Festival’s hub and collective exhibition at Rollington Barn near Corfe Castle has an atmosphere that is distinctly quirky, rural and very Purbeck. Alongside the visual arts, a range of Events, including high quality concerts and talks by local experts, are offered in different venues around Purbeck in the evenings.

Below is a short film shot at our Rollington Barn Private View in 2014.

PAW aims to encourage the involvement of young people across Purbeck, support new artists and promote more established ones (visual and performing), and engage with the local community. The Purbeck Young Artists programme offers workshops in around 17 schools across Purbeck – the results are exhibited in Rollington Barn as part of the Festival. A series of Community Art projects have been sponsored, such as the murals on Swanage Sea Front,, which provide year round enjoyment and a reminder of the Festival.

In 2014 the PAW Festival (as it is now known) introduced a winter series for its growing body of Festival Friends. Chamber Music in Purbeck Houses is led by local and international violinist Miranda Fulleylove and her colleagues.

From small beginnings, the PAW Festival now has over 200 artist Members and a body of at least 100 Festival Friends. It attracts world class musicians and gives local people the opportunity to experience artistic excellence that would otherwise not be accessible and at prices that are substantially less than are charged even in nearby Poole. It enables emerging artists to gain experience in putting on exhibitions, and more established artists to access a wider public and to mentor artists who are just starting out.

The Festival continues to explore new ground with commissions for new music, a Visual Artists Forum to support Members, dance and theatre performances, different ways to involve young musicians, a year-round presence at the well visited Arne RSPB nature reserve and Bursaries to help artists in all disciplines take their next artistic steps.


Past Brochures

The free PAW brochure contains everything a visitor needs to know about the Festival fortnight: exhibitions, Open Studios, events, and community projects. Every participating artist will have their contact details included in the brochure and most will also have an illustration of their work too. Click on the covers to have a look at some of our recent past brochures to see what we were doing.



Past Events Programmes

Every year we strive to bring you the most comprehensive Events programme possible. Please click on the covers to have a look at some of our recent past programmes and if you would like to receive information about our Festivals in advance please click here. If you would like to become a Friend and enjoy priority booking for our Events and for our winter series of Chamber Music in Purbeck Houses, please click here.


Past Brochure Covers