Welcome to our October to January season.
It’s my great privilege to welcome you to our Autumn and Winter season which will take us into early 2027.
At the time of writing, we continue to swelter in this remarkable, record-breaking summer, which makes winter and Christmas seem a long way off. But soon enough we will be wrapping up against the elements. We hope our programme will help reflect the changes of the seasons.
As always, we have endeavoured to find something for everyone. Our broad selection of films ranges from the classic Powell and Pressburger’s A Matter of Life and Death (screening 80 years to the day since its London premiere) to the modern and very local Derek vs Derek (which charts the turbulent relationship between two neighbouring Devon farmers with very different approaches to their land).
For many, The Allsop Gallery is the jewel in our crown. The only publicly funded gallery in West Dorset, it is renowned for its light, adaptable space which artists can make their own. We are thrilled to continue to champion local practitioners with an exciting installation by Marc Atkins, and a retrospective of the work of the much-loved (and equally missed) painter Hugh Dunford Wood. They are preceded by a presentation of work-in-progress from the Bridport-wide community project exploring the history and application of Flax in our region.
Our music offering continues to cover a huge range of flavours. We’re proud to continue our residency by local band Leonian Dream, who are in turn showcasing other emerging, local talent; hugely popular jazz from (among others) Moscow Drug Club; and as well as our regular visits under the umbrella of Concerts in the West, we are thrilled to welcome back Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra’s outreach ensemble programme.
On stage we have the phenomenon that is Every Brilliant Thing, which has been engrossing audiences across the country, as well as performances for children, adults, and families . And there’s much, much more.
Central to this publication are details of our campaign to bring this wonderful building back into community ownership – a once in a generation opportunity to build a legacy for Bridport and the region. We hope you will be able to support this endeavour in some way (large or small) just as we hope you will engage with our exciting programme of activities. The one cannot exist without the other. This really is where our hopes and aspirations, our imaginations and our dreams, all come together under one roof.
David Balcombe – Interim Deputy Director
View our Autumn/Winter Brochure Here