b-side has won the inaugural Weymouth Civic Society Award for Arts and Culture. Seeking to honour buildings and projects that make a positive impact on the appearance and quality of the local environment, The Civic Society awarded b-side for its contribution to the arts and culture of Portland and Weymouth.

We are delighted to receive this award and be recognised by Weymouth Civic Society. Together we are celebrating what community building and contemporary art can do for the places we live, visit, and love.

The theme for this year’s festival culminates in four major new artworks, which focus on the intriguing history and heritage of Portland. With land protection at the forefront, This Land focuses on two fragile and unique natural and built heritage sites identified as at risk: the last remaining area of original Portland landscape at Portland Bill and the ruins of a Tudor cottage, Brandy Row on the seafront at Chesil.

 

Funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, community-led research has inspired artists to create work that highlights the potential future of these sites as well as their story’s connection to wider global challenges. The Heritage Fund proudly supports thousands of heritage projects across the UK thanks to money raised by National Lottery players.

Each artist commissioned by b-side interprets the story of Portland; the unique landscapes intertwined with perspectives of newcomers and generations of Portlanders. Set to become the go-to hive of radical, forward-thinking activity, b-side festival welcomes art-lovers from across the country to honour Portland’s cherished land.

The full programme for b-side 2023 Festival This Land will be announced very soon.