THE ancient coastal town of Christchurch, the deep woods of Moors Valley and the dramatic ruins of Corfe Castle provide the backdrop and venues for events and installations across Dorset at this year’s Inside OutDorset festival, which runs from 12th to 21st September across the county.

The biennial event is an international outdoor arts festival, that celebrates Dorset and aims to promote our natural landscape and sense of place. Some of Dorset’s most remarkable urban and rural spots are transformed with experiences that touch hearts and minds like nothing else.

At the heart of what the organisers, Activate, do is a belief that performing arts should be accessible for all – no matter what their experience or background. Therefore, all of Inside Out Dorset 2025 events are free to attend.

This year’s festival of “extraordinary events in extraordinary places” will feature artists from as far away as India and Catalonia – as well as UK and Dorset-based companies. The locations are Christchurch, Moors Valley Country Park and Forest, Yeovil, Corfe Castle and Weymouth.

This year’s programme includes: River of Hope, at Christchurch, an international project with flags created by young people, relating to the climate crisis;
Consequences, at Corfe Castle and Yeovil, where a monumental new creature will be created for the Dorset National Landscape, inspired by the mystery of the Cerne Abbas Giant. Artist Becca Gill and her company Radical Ritual, along with members of local community groups, have created a new giant for the region;
Canopy, creative ideas about trees, at Moors Valley country park;
Sonnet of Samsara, a vibrant celebration of contemporary dance at Weymouth;
Idiofona, a huge installation created by physical artist Juan Catala at Corfe Castle;
Arrels, a collection of 20 games based on various cultural traditions;
Poi, celebrating the nearly extinct spinning top, at Corfe Castle; and
We Fear Episode V: Leviathan, at Corfe Castle, exploring the complexities of human fear around change. It delves into the underlying tensions between the necessity of change in order to survive, and the desire to preserve the past to honour our roots. This is the fifth production in a series of events that integrate performing arts and installation .

The organisers say: “In everything we do, we have just two rules – anything iss possible and everyone is invited.”

More information at activateperformingarts.org.uk

Pictured is one of the dance groups taking part in Sonnet of Samsara.