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Oh, look – another Town of Culture has been crowned! This time it’s Wimborne for 2026, given £30,000 to ‘celebrate culture’ and, supposedly, benefit the community.
It seems I have officially entered my Grumpy Old Woman phase, because this just rubbed me the wrong way when I saw it. Why is it always one town at a time? What about the rest of Dorset? Why are we being asked to clap along while one place gets all the attention, and the rest of us are left with nothing more?
Dorset is packed with culture from coast to countryside. Thomas Hardy, William Barnes, local theatre groups, festivals, music, art – we’ve got it all.
But instead of celebrating that as a whole, we’re pitting towns against each other like it’s some bizarre talent contest? And for what? A few one-off events that come and go, leaving barely a trace? Take Bridport, for example, which held the Town of Culture title in 2024. It had a Quilt Walkabout, Small World Festival, some exhibitions, and a literary festival – very nice, if you live there. But what difference did it make to those of us in other parts of Dorset? Did my little village get a travelling theatre or a community arts project? Did local children suddenly get new opportunities in the arts? No. It all stayed in Bridport.
And now we’re expected to believe Wimborne’s turn will somehow be different?
And let’s not forget Portland and Weymouth – they’re ‘it’ this year. It will be astonishing if Portland enjoys any economic benefit from this title. I expect the main winners will be the same people who always benefit – not the locals struggling to get by, but the organisations pocketing the funding for ‘consultations’ and ‘strategic planning.’
And then there’s the money. £30,000 might sound like a lot, but a quick look told me that Dorset Council has already handed out £1.45 million over three years to 28 cultural organisations, including museums, theatres and rural touring companies. So, if Dorset is already doing so well supporting the arts, why are we pitting towns against each other? Shouldn’t we be thinking bigger? Maybe there should be a proper levelling-up plan that supports the cultural deserts of rural Dorset – but wait, we already have Artsreach, which does a brilliant job bringing theatre and the arts to forgotten areas on a shoestring budget. If culture really needs investment, why not give it to them instead of creating another shiny but short-lived title?
Meanwhile, the rest of us are dealing with rising costs, disappearing public services, and food banks busier than ever. If Dorset Council has £30,000 spare, why not keep libraries open. Support community spaces. Help families who can’t afford music or art classes for their kids.
I love the arts, but I’d also love to know I can pay my energy bill next winter.
This Town of Culture idea might have started with good intentions, but it feels like little more than an expensive PR exercise, decided behind closed doors with no input from the people who actually live here. Instead of playing favourites, let’s talk about what would really make a difference – culture that belongs to everyone, all the time, not just those lucky enough to be in the right postcode when the money rolls in.
