Bridport Arts Centre
{{Short description|Arts centre in Bridport, Dorset, United Kingdom}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
File:Bridport Arts Centre .jpg
Bridport Arts Centre is an arts centre in Bridport, Dorset, England. Founded in 1973, it is housed in and around a 19th-century, Grade II listed building, formerly known as the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel. The complex includes the Marlow Theatre, the Allsop Gallery and a cinema.
The centre runs the Bridport Prize, an international literary competition. Annual awards are made in four categories: short stories, poetry, flash fiction and first novel. The winners are announced during the Bridport Open Book Festival. The centre also runs the From Page to Screen Festival, an annual film festival celebrating literary adaptations.
History
File:Bridport Arts Centre (1752).jpg
The Methodist chapel was designed by the architect James Wilson of Bath. It was built in 1838, and opened on 28 November of that year. The front elevation, having four giant Doric pilasters with entablature and pediment, originally had "Wesleyan Methodist Chapel" written on its frieze. It is a Grade II listed building.{{NHLE |num=1227853 |desc=Bridport Arts Centre |accessdate=16 June 2016 }}
The arts centre was founded in 1973, with Peggy Chapman-Andrews (1921–2013) playing a leading role in its establishment.{{cite news |url=http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/10246280.Tributes_pour_in_for_Bridport_arts_and_culture_icon_Peggy_Chapman_Andrews/ |last=Gerryts |first=Rene |title=Tributes pour in for Bridport arts and culture icon Peggy Chapman-Andrews |newspaper=Dorset Echo |date=22 February 2013 |accessdate=17 June 2016 }} The chapel was converted into the Marlow Theatre, with a seating capacity of 200. The chapel's adjacent schoolroom was converted into the Allsop Gallery, an exhibition space named after Kenneth Allsop.{{cite news |url=http://www.dorsetlife.co.uk/2010/08/bridport%E2%80%99s-arts-hub/ |last=Burton-Page |first=Tony |title=Bridport’s arts hub |newspaper=The Dorset Magazine Dorset Life |date=August 2010 |accessdate=17 June 2016 }}
In February 2016, Arts Council England agreed to provide a grant of £344,200 to renovate the Marlow Theatre and other facilities, subject to the centre raising a further £230,000.{{cite news |url=http://www.bridportnews.co.uk/news/14270998.Bridport_Arts_Centre_given_Arts_Council_investment_for_renovation_work/ |last=Bol |first=David |title=Bridport Arts Centre given £344,200 grant from Arts Council England for renovation work |newspaper=Bridport & Lyme Regis News |date=12 February 2016 |accessdate=17 June 2016 }} The centre re-opened in September 2016, after renovations costing £444,000.{{cite news |url=http://www.bridportnews.co.uk/news/14755068.Bridport_Arts_Centre_re_opens_following_refurbishment/ |last=Bol |first=David |title=Bridport Arts Centre re-opens following refurbishment |newspaper=Bridport & Lyme Regis News |date=21 September 2016 |accessdate=19 October 2016 }}
Bridport Prize
The Bridport Prize International Creative Writing Competition was founded in 1973 by Peggy Chapman-Andrews, originally as a fund-raising scheme for the new arts centre. Levels of international participation soon rose. Fay Weldon became Patron in 2006.{{cite news |url=http://www.bridportnews.co.uk/news/11052540.Frances_says_goodbye_to_the_Bridport_Prize/ |last=Gerryts |first=Rene |title=Frances says goodbye to the Bridport Prize |newspaper=Bridport & Lyme Regis News |date=4 March 2014 |accessdate=17 June 2016 }} There were originally two categories, poetry and short stories. In 2010 a new category, flash fiction, was added. In 2014, the Peggy Chapman-Andrews first novel award was added.{{cite news |url=http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/14475446.Budding_writers_have_three_weeks_left_to_nab_literary_prizes_worth___16_000/ |title=Budding writers have three weeks left to nab literary prizes worth £16,000 |newspaper=Dorset Echo |date=6 May 2016 |accessdate=17 June 2016 }}
The winners are announced during a literary festival, the Bridport Open Book Festival, which is run by the centre in the autumn.{{cite news |url=http://www.bridportnews.co.uk/news/10722509.Celebrating_skills_of_reading_and_writing_with_the_Bridport_Prize/ |title=Celebrating skills of reading and writing with the Bridport Prize |newspaper=Bridport & Lyme Regis News |date=7 October 2013 |accessdate=17 June 2016 }} Each year's top four poems are entered for the Forward Prizes for Poetry, while the top 13 stories (if British) are entered for the BBC National Short Story Award and the Sunday Times EFG Private Bank Short Story Award.
The centre runs the From Page to Screen Festival, celebrating adaptations of books to film, in the spring.
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://www.bridport-arts.com}}
- [https://www.bridportprize.org.uk Bridport Prize]
- [https://www.frompagetoscreen.info/ /From Page to Screen Festival]
{{Authority control}}
{{coord|50|43|59|N|2|45|28|W|type:landmark_region:GB|display=title}}
Category:Arts centres in England
Category:Grade II listed buildings in Dorset