Common Arts at the Fringe launches an arts festival inspired by Dorset dialect poet William Barnes (1801-1886) and his term “Soulzight”, exploring how memory and time inhabit the world. Curated by Aliceson Green, artists Zara McQueen, Rebecca Newnham, Fran Quinlan and Lizzie Sykes, present installations throughout the town reflecting landscape, community and the persistence of the past within the present.

The festival includes sculpture, drawing, audio and video works presented across multiple venues and free workshops, including drawing for all ages, willow weaving for children and various walks.

We are running alongside the Shaftesbury Fringe (Britain’s Friendliest Fringe) 17-19th July, so that weekend will be full of Music, Poetry and Comedy too. Their details and link to the app at https://www.shaftesburyfringe.co.uk, instagram @shaftesburyfringe.

Events…

11th 3pm (prompt) Town Cryer, Town Hall, High Street, SP7 8LY followed by…

11th 3.15-5pm Opening Event with William Barnes poetry reading. Gold Hill Museum, Gold Hill, SP7 8JW.

12th 4pm Birdsong Walk (suitable outdoor clothing/footware recommended) starting outside the The Town Hall, High Street, SP7 8LY, via Breach Common to…

12th 5.30pm Hambledon Hopstep Band in Ye Old Two Brewers, St James's Street SP7 8HE

14th 11am Curator & Artist Tour starting outside The Town Hall, High Street, SP7 8LY

18th 10am Curator & Artist Tour starting outside the Town Hall, High Street, SP7 8LY

18th 12-2pm Willow Weaving Workshop children friendly event, St James Park (opposite Ye Old Two Brewers, St James's Street SP7 8HE). Making tunnels to crawl through whilst learning about the legendary tunnels in town. William Barnes Society will be joining us to read some poetry in-between 1- 2pm. (Suitable outdoor clothing recommended. Children must be supervised).

19th 2-4pm Drawing Workshop, children & adult friendly event Friends Meeting House, 5 Abbey Walk SP7 8BB. Come prepared to be curious, play and explore materials and media with a range of stimuli to respond to. (Suitable clothing for drawing and creating. Children must be supervised).

Artwork Locations…

Gold Hill Museum garden, Gold Hill, SP7 8JW. Library, Bell St, Shaftesbury SP7 8AE. Open Mon-Sun 10.30-16.30. Artist Rebecca Newnham

Kings Arms, Bleke St, Shaftesbury SP7 8JZ. Open Mon-Sun 11.00-23.00. Artist Fran Quinlan

Dressmakers Studio, Unit 3 Swans Yard, Shaftesbury SP7 8JQ. Viewable 24hrs. Artist Fran Quinlan

Town Hall balcony, High Street, SP7 8LY. Town Hall balcony, High Street, SP7 8LY. Audio sounding for 5mins on the hour 09.00-20.00. Collaboration with Nick Crump’s family and Aliceson Green; in memory of Nick.

Harrold Opticians, 49 High St, Shaftesbury SP7 8JE. Open Mon-Sat 09.00-17.30. Artist Lizzie Sykes

Library, Bell St, Shaftesbury SP7 8AE. Open Mon-Tue 10.00-17.00, Thur 12.00-18.00, Fri 10.00-17.00, Sat 10.00-13.00. Artist Zara McQueen

Plus more TBC

Maps available from Kings Arms, Gold Hill Museum and around town.

Further info at instagram https://www.instagram.com/common_arts_ & https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61588916977091

Token s

by William Barnes 1867

Green mwold on zummer bars do show
That they've a-dripped in winter wet;
The hoof-worn ring o' groun' below
The tree do tell o' storms or het;
The trees in rank along a ledge
Do show where woonce did bloom a hedge;
An' where the vurrow-marks do stripe
The down the wheat woonce rustled ripe.
Each mark ov things a-gone vrom view—
To eyezight's woone, to soulzight two.

The grass agean the mwoldren door
'S a token sad o' vo'k a-gone,
An' where the house, bwoth wall an' vloor,
'S a-lost, the well mid linger on.
What tokens, then, could Meary gi'e
That she a-lived, an' lived vor me,
But things a-done vor thought an' view?
Good things that nwone agean can do,
An' every work her love ha' wrought,
To eyezight's woone, but two to thought.

Aliceson Green https://www.aliceson.co.uk‍ ‍https://www.instagram.com/aliceson___

Zara McQueen‍ ‍https://zara-mcqueen.co.uk ‍https://www.instagram.com/zara_mcqueen

Rebecca Newnham‍ ‍https://rebeccanewnham.com‍ ‍https://www.instagram.com/rebeccanewnhamsculptor

Fran Quinlan‍ ‍https://www.instagram.com/fran.quinlan.artist

Lizzie Sykes ‍ ‍https://vimeo.com/lizziesykes‍ ‍https://www.instagram.com/sykes5000

William Barnes Society‍ ‍https://williambarnessociety.org.uk

Common Arts At The Fringe

Shaftesbury, Dorset 11-19th July 2026

Events…

Artwork Locations…

Tokens

by William Barnes 1867

Token s