Music & Arts in West Dorset, UK

Home Page > News

CURZON LAUNCHES NEW CINEMA INITIATIVE ‘CURZON.AT'

Curzon Cinemas, one of the UK’s principal independent cinema chains, are proud to announce the launch of their new cinema initiative, Curzon At.

Curzon At marks a new era of varied and exciting programming for cultural arts venues in the UK. The project combines the technical and programming expertise of Curzon Cinemas with various rural arts venues and spaces across the UK, enabling them to screen contemporary releases on state of the art digital equipment.

Curzon Cinemas has over 70 years of cinema experience, and its position as one of the most respected independent cinema chains in the country enables Curzon At to offer our partner venues the very best in digital cinema; screening the latest in independent, European and world film.

This partnership will allow an innovative cinema experience that will offer diverse programming, hi-tech-enabled convenience to bring film closer to the community.

From January 2011, two UK partner venues will launch their Curzon At programme; The Watermark, Ivybridge, Devon and Bridport Arts Centre, Dorset. Both venues have a rich and established connection to film.

Bridport Arts Centre is a creative arts organisation in the heart of the West Dorset community. From their venue in the centre of Bridport, they run a year-round programme of theatre, dance, music, literature, comedy and exhibitions along with a busy education and learning programme. The venue is also home to the 'From Page to Screen' film festival, Bridport Open Book Festival and the Bridport Prize - one of the largest and most prestigious creative writing competitions in the English language.

The Watermark, Ivybridge have been curating a film audience for the last four years and believe the new joint venture will bring a high quality cinema experience to Ivybridge for the benefit of local residents and the south Hams. The venue has a mission to focus on bringing films that people want to see onto their own doorstep.

Curzon At aims to bring quality cinema to the heart of local and rural communities across the UK.

Philip Knatchbull, Chief Executive of Curzon Artificial Eye, comments: “This is an important and exciting first step in developing what will become a nationwide network of part time Curzon cinemas which will reach out to a wider and more diverse audience than ever before including more local and remote areas of the U.K. This is a key plank in our long term strategy of building loyal Curzon customers who can watch high quality independent films when, where and how they want.”

Ben Metcalf, Curzon At Manager, comments: “I'm thrilled to be heading up a project that is taking independent films to traditionally under served areas of the UK. The advent of digital technology means that Arts Centres and Theatres across the country can enjoy the latest art house films closer than ever to release date.”

Polly Gifford, Director of Bridport Arts Centre, comments: "We are hugely excited to be part of the new Curzon.At initiative. Not only is it a fantastic addition to our programme, bringing audiences the latest independent films, presented on state of the art equipment, but it creates a partnership with one of the most respected companies in the business. It has created a buzz around the town and has been the perfect way to start the New Year."

Tom Holland, Manager of The Watermark, Ivybridge, comments: “This is a major leap forward in presenting cinema in Ivybridge with new technology providing quality film viewing. We have literally been working day and night with ‘Curzon At’ and are excited to be able to offer such a wide and refreshing programme of films at The Watermark. Curzon At, is helping us bring to Ivybridge, ‘cinema’ that we really wanted to have for some time.” 

Please check Bridport Arts Centre's film listings for all of the latest Curzon.At listings. 

 

 

Junior BACStage

A fantastic new theatre club for 8 - 11 year olds starts on January 11 at Bridport Arts Centre. Junior BACStage is for all children who love acting, drama and performing and those who think they’d like to have a go.

The Arts Centre’s Learning Coordinator Kate Wilson said ‘we are delighted to be offering younger children the chance to enjoy BACStage. The new club will include drama games, improvisation and the chance to build characters, create scenes and have lots of fun. No previous experience is necessary and everyone is welcome’.

Junior BACStage will be led by local actor and director Jonny Hoskins, who trained at the prestigious Jacques Lecoq theatre school in Paris. Jonny has previously run physical theatre and mime courses for BACStage the arts centre’s youth theatre for 12 to 18 year olds.

He recently developed a play with the group The Time Snatchers which was performed at the arts centre in November. Junior BACStage will run on Wednesdays at the arts centre from 11 January to 21 March from 4pm to 5.30pm and costs £4.00 per session.

BACStage for older children begins the same day at 5.45pm and this term will be led by inspiring choreographer, dancer and performer Niki McCretton. The students will explore physical theatre and work towards devising their own show to be performed at the end of term on March 21.

For further information about BACStage and Junior BACStage please contact the box office on 424 204.

Take Your Grandparents to the Theatre for Free!

Join four children on their adventures as they are whisked away on their new magical carpet, with help of a mysterious and fiery phoenix!

This winter we are delighted to be welcoming Forest Forge Theatre Company to Bridport Arts Centre for a performance of their magical show The Phoenix and the Carpet, Thursday 19 January 2012, 7.30pm.

To celebrate the beginning of a new season we are offering a free ticket for a grandparent or a third generation family member, when purchased with a ticket for a child.

The story begins when a golden egg falls into the nursery fire and hatches a talking Pheonix. Children Robert, Cyril, Andrea and Jane begin a remarkable adventure that will see them travel the world on a flying carpet.

Adapted from the classic children’s book by E.Nesbit, Forest Forge’s winter production features beautiful live music, incredible puppets and a wonderful winter atmosphere.

This is a special adventure that will see you transported from an ordinary afternoon in an English nursery across the world to Australia and India, and back again. Along the way you will bump into all sorts of interesting characters including an Indian Maharaja Australian natives Bruce and Charlene and businessman Mr Crinklemuff.

Tickets are available from Bridport Arts Centre box office priced at £10/ £9 members/ £7 concessions and £30 for a family tickets. 20 Super £3 tickets will be held for full time students, young people between 16-18 years old, those in receipt of Income Support, Disability Living Allowance JSA or Housing Benefit.

We look forward to seeing you!

 

 

Mary Sutton Textile Art on Display

Mary Sutton’s textile art will be on display in Bridport Art Centre’s Café and Foyer Galleries from 3-21 December 2011.

Mary creates wonderful textile images of local landscapes and natural forms using layered fabric and machine stitch – reflecting a love of colour, texture and the beauty of nature. Taking inspiration from the local countryside, many of the images represent areas that are favourites with locals and tourists including West Bay, Abbotsbury and Allington Hill.

The work brings together a broad range of experiences gained over a number of years. Mary originally trained as a fine art painter, beginning with drawing and painting before learning photography and creating large, moving images and conceptual instillations.

Mary said: ‘My inspiration comes from roaming the countryside of Hampshire and Dorset; capturing landscapes, plants and wildlife that catch my eye. I usually start with framing these through my camera lens and then working out the composition by drawing from the photographs. They are turned into artworks through collaging papers, plastics and fabrics and ‘drawing’ over them with coloured machine stitch. I find that through layering sheer fabrics such as organza, I can create a sense of depth and atmosphere as with painting. Where the layers cross, the colour intensifies, a bit like applying watercolour washes. The very bright features within the work are usually created using plastics recycled from various food wrappers’.

Entrance to the exhibition is free and the galleries are open Tuesday – Saturday 10am-4pm. 

Jane Hill Headlines Bridport Art Centre’s Comedy Cafe

The Comedy Café at Bridport Arts Centre will be back this week with five more up and coming comedians and a fantastic headliner.

The reputation of the comedy café night is growing rapidly and this Friday’s show looks set to be another sell out success, so audiences are being encouraged to get their tickets soon to avoid disappointment.

Taking to the stage this month will be five new comedians from across the south and a headline act who has been tickling audiences across the country since 2005. Opening the night will be Chris Turner, regular compere of Exeter’s Laughing Cheetah Comedy Club. Chris has recently won his heat of the Laughing Horse New Act of the Year and is hoping his west country humour will prove a hit with the Bridport crowd. Continuing the night will be Bournemouth based Alex Leam, who debuted at the Edinburgh Festival in 2010, and circuit favourite Philip Jones, nicknamed “The Juggernaught” for his unrivalled gig rate.

Closing the first half will be disabled comedian Graham Whistler, fresh from his debut Edinburgh solo show “Stand up, fall down”. The last new act of the night, opening the second half, will be London comic David Hannant. In his first 18 months on the comedy circuit David has notched up more than 150 gigs.

Headlining the night will be Jane Hill, a regular host of Custard Comedy and a previous finalist in both the London Comic of the Year and the English Comedian of the Year competitions. With three Edinburgh fringe shows under her belt, Jane’s sharp, intelligent observational comedy is charming, but with a real twist in the tail.

Resident compere, and Bridport resident, Tom Glover will once again be hosting the night, sharing his latest views on Bridport life.

The November Comedy Café will be at 8pm, November 18th - tickets are available from the box office on 01308 424204, £5/£3 concessions. h2

 

Countertext 2011

Click image for details of this years countertext.

 

 

Children's Workshop Success

As part of our half term activities, a group of 8 to 11 year old children spent the day with Creative Workshops making short animated films. To see the finished results click here. 

 

Poems in Shops

Look out for the Bridport Open Book Festival logo in shops around the town and you’ll be able to enjoy a selection of poems written or selected especially for that business. Created in partnership with Some Bridport Poets.

 

Vote Bridport FM

Bridport FM is a radio project offering free training to any member of the community wishing to create their own radio programme.

We recently applied for Natwest Community Force funding, if we get enough votes Bridport FM will get £6000 - this will pay for us to go on air in March!

Every vote counts, please take five minutes out of your day to support this valuable project. Click here to learn more.

 

Making the ordinary extraordinary - Diary of a Day 2011

Have you ever wondered what other people get up to at work, at home and at school? How much do we really know and understand about the lives and thoughts of others? Would you like to have a glimpse? Diary of a Day will do just that and we want everyone to join in. As part of the Bridport Open Book festival, Bridport Arts Centre is running a simple yet extraordinary writing project - Diary of a Day.

Based on the Mass Observation projects begun in the late 1930's, this is a way of recording everyday life, a snapshot of what is happening in the world, the country, the town and in individual lives. On Tuesday 4 October, we are inviting everyone in Bridport to keep a diary of their day. It can be as long or a short as you wish; handwritten or a print out; illustrated if you like, deeply personal or simply a list. The only rule is it must be anonymous!

Writers will be able to post their diary entries in various collection boxes around the town including the arts centre until October 11. After that, they will be collated into books which will be on display at the arts centre for the public to read during the Open Book Festival in November. They will make insightful and fascinating reading - be part of it.

For further information please contact kate@bridport-arts.com

 

 

Bridport Film Society

Bridport Film Society has released it's programme of events, to download please click here.

Sculpture on the Beach 2011

1st Prize: Mud Turtle

2nd: Shark Chasing Fry

3rd Prize: Ammonite

4th: Dragon

Creativity Prize: Stone Turtle

Abstract Prize: Anti Paddling Pool

The popular competition attracts a wide variety of competitors from children and families to professional sculptors. However, it is about family fun and finding an exciting way of enjoying the coast.

Images by Graham Shackleton

 

Page to Screen

Although the successful From Page to Screen film festival is over although there's still time for young people to submit their film-review.

Pictured right is the story telling at Waterstone's. 

Young people – see your film review published!

Young people who enjoy cinema can take part in a film-review competition as part of the From Page To Screen festival taking place in Bridport this week (April 13-17 2011).

Anyone under 18 can review any of the films they see during the event and have their review judged by one of the UK’s leading authors, Jonathan Coe. The winning reviews will be posted on the From Page To Screen website.

Entries must be received no later than April 30, 2011

 

 

Announcement of Arts Council England funding decisions

30 March 2011

Arts Council England (ACE) announced its decisions for National Portfolio Funding. This funding will replace its support for existing Regularly Funded Organisations, of which Bridport Arts Centre is one, from 2012/13 onwards.

Director Polly Gifford says, "We were very pleased to learn that our application for National Portfolio Funding was successful. We will be receiving a continuation of our 2011/12 funding level of approximately £57,000, with an inflationary increase for the 3 years 2012/13 - 2014/15. While this is a small decrease in real terms on our 2010/11 funding, this had already been planned for."

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first night Wednesday 13 April features the film adaptation of Ishiguro's best-selling novel 'Never Let Me Go', following an on stage conversation between the author and Jonathan Coe, From Page to Screen's artistic director.

From Page to Screen 2011 Programme

Bridport Arts Centre in collaboration with the electric palace

 

Internationally renowned author Kazuo Ishiguro will be attending the opening night of From Page to Screen, the UK's only film festival dedicated to the adaptation of books into films. 

 

Kazuo Ishiguro to open From Page to Screen 2011 Bridport's Film Festival