b-side

This island is the beating heart that inspires b-side’s work, but our projects and opportunities extend all over Dorset and beyond. We work with and commission artists who are as excited by the bigger picture as the smallest detail. Our current ‘Common Lands’ programme regards Portland as a microcosm to explore relationships to and with land. We invite artists, residents, and researchers to create unique and inventive projects inspired by the themes of ‘people’ and ‘place’. We host big discussions on topics that affect us both locally and globally and create art that exists in unusual and unexpected places. Underpinning our approach is the recognition of the need for sustainable tourism. We want everyone to be able to experience everything we love about Portland in a way that respects and benefits the island and those who live and work there. Every two years, we produce the b-side festival, which brings new, unique art to local audiences and visitors alike, sharing incredible stories about and with the Isle of Portland, as well as the rest of the world. b-side is run by a collaborative team of artists, producers and curators with experience in visual arts, live art, performance, social practice, heritage, environment and arts education. In 2012, we were awarded funding from Arts Council England to become a National Portfolio Organisation.