The first round of Dorset Council’s community and culture project has awarded £42,484 to 15 local organisations.
The new small project was launched in April and provides funding for arts, museums, heritage, community, physical and play activities to help make a difference to people living in Dorset’s communities.
The fund was able to provide grants of up to 80% of total project costs to applicants that met our criteria. Grants of between £1,000 and 5,000 were awarded to projects supporting the council in meeting its core priorities, and in particular priority was given to projects benefiting marginalised people.
Cllr Jill Haynes, Dorset Council Portfolio Holder for Customer and Community Services, said:
“I am very pleased to be providing these small one-off grants to this group of applicants to benefit residents across the county.”
The second round of this Project Fund will open on 1 November 2021 details can be found at Community and Culture Project Fund – Dorset Council
Full details of the awards
| Cultural & Sporting Organisations receiving an award: | Description of Project | Amount Awarded | %age of total project costs | Area of Benefit |
| Priests House Museum Trust | Interpretation of Wimborne heritage through, performing arts, film incl. research. | £4,000 | 27.91% | East Dorset |
| Arts Development Company | 3 co-producing pilot projects improving participation for disadvantaged. | £5,000 | 9% | East, North & Purbeck |
| Sturminster Newton Heritage Trust | Improving interpretation and accessibility for disabled at Sturminster Mill | £1,060 | 78% | North Dorset |
| Activate | Performing arts programme for young adults with special needs | £3,500 | 25.29% | East & West Dorset |
| Bank of Dreams and Nightmares | Training at the Ministry of Stories to facilitate creative writing for children | £1,500 | 4.54% | West Dorset |
| Artsreach | Children’s environmental based summer workshops in rural villages | £1,500 | 21.43 % | Countywide |
| Windrose | Environmental and arts rural community project | £4,000 | 48.8 % | West Dorset |
| Dorchester Arts | Dance training for artists and dance for MS sufferers and their carers. | £4,824 | 33.3 % | West Dorset |
| Friends of Stour Connect | Start-up grass roots arts classes for older people | £2,000 | 58.82% | North Dorset |
| Mowlem Theatre | Cinema screening for dementia sufferers and their carers | £1,600 | 80% | Purbeck |
| Wareham Harvest Folk | Community led 2-day Folk Festival | £1,500 | 49.59% | Purbeck |
| Bridport Arts Centre | Youth Art Engagement wall mural project | £3,500 | 36% | West Dorset |
| Will Mackaness Trust | Open water swimming lessons for children | £2,500 | 72% | Weymouth & Portland |
| Andrew Simpson Centre | Sailing for disadvantaged young people | £3,000 | 60% | Weymouth & Portland |
| Swanage Cricket Club | Equipment request to develop club activity and new cricket players | £3,000 | 30% | Purbeck |
| 15 Orgs – TOTAL AWARDED | £42,484 |
