East Dorset District Council provide support and advice to the arts and cultural sector, it has a part time Culture and Young People Officer, and has an annual Community Grants fund to provide financial support to community groups and organisations who are providing arts and cultural activities in the East Dorset District.

Through the EDALE (East Dorset Arts Leisure and Entertainment Forum and the Rural Dorset and Attractions Partnership) which meets quarterly offers cultural organisations in East Dorset and Christchurch a free networking forum to meet up exchange news, information, explore collaborative marketing and promotional initiatives. An ongoing EDALE collaboration is the annual Sting in the Tale ' a festival of stories'. The next meetings for EDALE are:

Wednesday 21 March 2012 - Venue to be confirmed

Wednesday 27 June 2012 - Highcliffe Castle, Christchurch

Wednesday 26 September 2012 - The Hub, Verwood

Wednesday 19 December 2012 - The Priest's House Museum, Wimborne

East Dorset District Council ensure East Dorset and Christchurch cultural events and activities are promoted widely to both residents and visitors both the Tourism Officer and Cultural Officer offer promoters the service of inputting their events onto the Visit Dorset website (opens in a new window) .  If you have an event, please complete the community grant form and return to the contact below.

East Dorset supports and part funds the project Artz Plus and Sportz plus activities for children with additional needs, a partnership project with West Dorset, Dorset County Council, Mencap and Active Dorset.

East Dorset supports Artsreach through the Community Grants which offers high quality arts events and performances in village halls predominantly in Sixpenny Handley, Sturminster Marshall, Hinton Martell and Cranborne.

• East Dorset District: Culture and Young People Manager
  Name: Tracy Cooper
  Email: tcooper@eastdorset.gov.uk
  Tel: 01202 639012 Ext. 2012
  Full details for Tracy Cooper