PRESS RELEASE

Performing Arts charity Diverse City is happy that it will continue to be a key part of Arts Council England’s National Portfolio (NPO) from 2023-26. The grant will fund a range of groundbreaking local and national work.

The company is one of only 10 NPOs based in BCP and Dorset (and one of only 117 in the whole of the South West) supporting Arts Council England’s 10 year ambition ‘Let’s Create’ to make England “a country in which the creativity of each of us is valued and given the chance to flourish”. 

Diverse City is currently in one of its most productive ever periods.

Extraordinary Bodies, the company’s circus collaboration with leading show makers Cirque Bijou, is midway through an Arts Council supported, national touring project that brings us to, amongst others, expert Dorset receiving house, Lighthouse Poole.

Delicate, written by Jamie Beddard, is currently on a national tour of studio theatres and Waldo’s Circus of Magic and Terror, a new circus theatre musical co produced with Bristol Old Vic and Theatre Royal Plymouth, will perform on main stages up and down the country from March 2023. Diverse City then plans to remount our sell out show Mid Life, and to develop a new production called All We Have, co produced with Ad Infinitum.

As well as being a leading light of Lighthouse Poole, Diverse City is proud to work with community centre Mowlem Centre in Swanage, with community groups across the county, with South West co-producers, Bristol Old Vic and Theatre Royal Plymouth and with up to 150 local and national independent artists each year.

From the company’s home in Swanage, Diverse City Co Artistic Directors Jamie Beddard and Claire Hodgson, said:  

“We are so thankful for our NPO grant, and for the continued support of Arts Council England when we know that many colleagues have not been as fortunate. These are difficult times, and we recognise how lucky we are to have core funding, especially in light of the pandemic, the cost of living situation and the fuel crisis.

Both in Dorset and nationally, we’re looking forward to reaching out to different audiences, delighting them with surprising, new shows and arts experiences and creating development opportunities for exciting young creatives.”