Once a year, The Purbeck School, Wareham bursts into life with colour, creativity, and the work of hundreds of Dorset artists and makers. Showcase takes over the entire school – classrooms, corridors, halls – turning every corner into something inspiring to see, try, discover, or take home.
If you enjoy exploring beautiful handmade work and meeting talented creatives, you’ll feel right at home at Showcase.
At the heart of Showcase are the Competition Galleries – paintings, photographs, textiles, woodwork, ceramics, glass, metalwork, and countless other crafts, all created by makers from across Dorset.
Every single entry is displayed, so you can wander through hundreds of pieces, compare styles and techniques, and enjoy the sheer range of creativity on show.
As you explore the competition galleries you’ll spot pieces that make you pause, smile, or lean in for a closer look – and the Visitors’ Choice Awards are your chance to vote for them.
Choose your favourite:
Visitors really get into this – comparing notes with friends, going back for a second look, and discovering new details along the way. It’s a fun, thoughtful part of the day, and we always look forward to seeing which pieces win your hearts.
This vibrant gallery brings together work submitted by DACA members – textiles, jewellery, ceramics, woodwork, glass, prints, cards and much more, all beautifully displayed and ready to browse and take home.
Every piece is handmade, and the variety is always impressive. Whether you’re after something small and thoughtful, or a standout piece for your home, there’s plenty to discover.
Younger visitors can enjoy hands-on creative sessions – and over the years, we’ve learned that a fair few grown-ups can’t resist joining in too!
Children aged 6+ can drop in, try a new activity, and make something wonderful to take home. Sessions run daily:
Each activity costs just £2 to cover materials. No need to book – simply turn up (as long as there’s time to finish your piece). Parents and guardians stay with their child, and the whole space has a friendly, relaxed, have-a-go feel.
There’s also a free children’s art trail – a fun little extra to keep young creatives busy and engaged while you explore the rest of Showcase together.
Each year, we welcome a Guest Exhibitor – an individual maker or group invited to share a larger collection of their work, and offer insights into their creative process.
Visitors love this part of the event, whether they’re admiring the craftsmanship, chatting with the people behind the work, or simply enjoying the opportunity to explore a different style or technique up close.
The craft stalls are a real treat! You’ll find a brilliant mix of jewellery, woodcraft, prints, handmade gifts, creative supplies and more – all made by talented Dorset creators.
Chatting to the people behind the work is a real highlight, and if you time it right, you might even catch someone mid-make – a basket being woven, metal being shaped, or a new piece being stitched together. There’s no better way to appreciate the skill that goes into handmade work.
Our Plant & Book Stall raises money for our Arts & Crafts Grant Fund, which supports creative projects across Dorset. Everything on the stall is generously donated by members and supporters, which means every penny raised goes directly into the grant fund.
You’ll find a delightful variety of indoor and outdoor plants, craft books, fiction, non-fiction, and even magazines.
If you’d like to donate plants or books for next year, we’d be very grateful. Email info@dorsetartsandcrafts.org or contact John (who runs the stall) on 01202 394101.
If Showcase has inspired you – whether you’re full of ideas or feeling that little spark of “I’d love to try this” – we’d love to welcome you into the DACA community.
There are lots of ways to get involved:
However you choose to join in, you’ll be supporting and celebrating Dorset’s creative spirit – and becoming part of a community that’s been making, sharing, and encouraging for more than a century.
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