Halstock Community Arts
Halstock village has, to the delight of audiences from local communities, regularly welcomed superb professional arts companies from all over the UK, and further afield.
Theatre Community Music
Welcome to Halstock Community Arts
News
Arts Awards - March 2025
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The HCA Awards were set up in 2023 when the HCA committee decided to use some of the profits from hosting Artsreach events to support local artists. Halstock Community Arts set up two annual Awards of £400 each, one reserved for the Under 25s and one open to all age groups. Applications were welcomed from individuals or groups who live or work within a 20 mile radius of Halstock.
For the 2024 Awards, applications were received to support a wide range of arts projects including dance, music, acrobatics, skateboarding, crafts and film-making.
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The Under 25 Award winner for 2024 was Somerset Youth Dance Company, a small, not-for-profit dance organisation based in Yeovil who work with young aspiring dancers from ages 13 – 21. This year the group are celebrating their 15th Anniversary and they will be using the Arts Award funding to support the making of a one-off anniversary 'Dance for Camera' video. Natalie Hyde, a previous member of the group who is now one of the dance teachers, was present to receive the Award. Natalie reported that the project will provide exciting opportunities for dancers in the group, many of whom go on to dance professionally.
The Open Award for 2024 was won by Paddy Earl, a local film-maker. He has written a screenplay called 'Last Orders', a witty and poignant story, set in a pub and involving a conversation between an elderly gentleman and a pickled egg! Paddy will use the Award funding towards the hire of camera, lighting and sound equipment to enable him to turn his screenplay into a short film. Paddy said that this project is a further step on the way to his ambition of directing his first feature film.
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About Us
The village of Halstock has been home to amateur and professional theatre in some shape or form for many years and was one of the first places to host a performance on behalf of the fledgling Artsreach organisation that is now so familiar to us here in Dorset.
The late Pamela Lemmey, who was an active member of the Halstock WI drama group, was one of the first volunteers to take up the challenge of promoting for Artsreach at it's inception in March 1990, supporting music, drama and dance performances in the village hall and occasionally the church. Since then, the village has, to the delight of audiences from local communities, regularly welcomed superb professional arts companies from all over the UK, and further afield.
In addition to Artsreach shows, the village has enjoyed productions from local drama groups: first The Frome Valley Players followed by Halstock Community Theatre (HCT). Halstock Community Theatre took over the role of promoting Artsreach events and in 2023 HCT set up a bursary programme to provide support to local artists. In 2024 the group made the decision to change their name to Halstock Community Arts which it was felt better reflects the group's aims and activities.
