How we work

We collaborate.

We pride ourselves on being open and working with others to make the performing arts accessible for all.

This happens in many ways, including partnerships with one other organisation or with many. We sometimes lead these groups and sometimes we don’t. We are producers, presenters, collaborators or commissioners. Sometimes we are all of these.

Activate is a charity based in Dorset and in 2021 we celebrated our 30th birthday.

We are an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation and are core funded by Dorset Council and BCP Council. We seek other funding opportunities on a project-by-project basis.

We connectcommunities

We focus on bringing people together and creating opportunities. Our team may be small, but we’re agile, expert and very well connected, with a will to make things happen. We work in a flexible and inclusive way. We love hearing about ways in which we can play a part, lead, support or get involved in a range of programmes and projects.

We break downbarriers

At the heart of what we do is a belief that performing arts should be accessible for all – no matter what your experience or background. We believe that diversity of thought, belief or background can enrich experiences for us all. We work with artists who are disabled and non-disabled and aim to reach the widest possible audiences. This may be by working in community settings, theatres, arts centres or in the natural environment.

We celebrateour landscape

Based in Dorset but also working nationally and in Europe, we aim to promote our natural landscape and sense of place. We provide a high quality arts programme while minimising our impact on the environment. With the current climate crisis, we try to work in a greener way and understand that we all need to be part of the solution in protecting our planet.

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