About Us
We're a team who love bringing our community together through culture. We believe in collaboration, creativity, and making sure everyone in Wimborne has a chance to be part of something special.
our manifesto
Wimborne’s story began over a thousand years ago, and this year it’s being told in a new voice. Town of Culture celebrates the traditions, festivals and landmarks that define Wimborne, while reimagining them for today.
From Roman roads to digital murals; from folk festivals to experimental soundscapes; Wimborne blends the familiar with the unexpected. It’s about connection across generations – giving history a heartbeat and heritage a future. Wimborne becomes a town that looks back with pride and forward with imagination.
Together, we’re rewriting the narrative through art, story and song. We celebrate what’s come before and create what comes next.
Wimborne is the Culture Catalyst.
what does it mean to be the culture catalyst?
As Dorset Town of Culture 2026, we want to be known as the Culture Catalyst. But we need your help to turn that vision into a reality.
If you live in or around Wimborne, we want you to be part of both our culture and our community – not just in 2026, but well into the future.
Our town’s incredible heritage doesn’t come from history books. It flows from the communities of the past who have shared stories and creative passions. They passed Wimborne’s culture forward.
It’s time for us to do the same.
Together we can become the next bridge between what Wimborne was, what Wimborne is and what Wimborne’s community has the imagination to become.
meet the team
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emma kerr
PROJECT MANAGER
As a creative leader with a passion for bringing projects to life, Emma draws on a rich background in the arts, including her time at organisations like Rambert Dance Company, East London Dance and English National Ballet, to inform her strategic thinking and fundraising expertise. She’s recently been celebrating a personal highlight: her role as the award-winning Executive Producer for Cathy Waller Company, where their film This is Us has been recognised with international accolades. When she’s not busy making magic happen, you can find her supporting the arts as the Chair of Arts by the Sea Festival, an Associate Producer for MOVE IT, and a Trustee of Zoielogic Dance Theatre. -
gary mason
EVENTS OFFICER
As the Events Officer, Gary oversees key civic events for the Town Council, including Remembrance Sunday, the Christmas Lights Switch-On, and New Year’s Eve celebrations. With a deep passion for the arts and community engagement, he brings meticulous attention to detail and careful planning to every project. Gary also provides valuable support to the Project Manager. -
town of culture
STEERING GROUP
Huge thanks go to the Town of Culture steering group, who have given their time and energy to developing the proposal that secured the Town of Culture opportunity. Members of the group are: Malcolm Angel (Gulliver’s Bookshop and Radio Wimborne), Heather Birchenough (Wimborne Model Town and Gardens), Carole Chedgy (The Allendale Centre), Sarah Dean (Kingston Lacy, the National Trust), Sarah Evans (Allendale House), Chezzie Hollow (Museum of East Dorset), Gill Horitz, Tony Horitz (Wimborne Community Theatre and Millstream Theatre), Tammy Sleet (BID), Martin Smith (Wimborne Minster), Simon Wheeler (Wimborne Folk Festival), Bruce Jensen (Wimborne Minster), and Terry Wheeler (Walford Mill).We are also very grateful to have representation from the following Wimborne Town Councillors: John Billington, Chris Brown, Jeff Hart, Bill Jaggs, and Simon Wheeler.
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grace king-turner
Grace King-Turner is a freelance producer based in the South West, with a background in contemporary dance. Graduating with a first-class (honours) degree in Dance from Arts University Bournemouth, Grace became Activate Performing Arts’s Trainee Producer for 2025-2026. Whilst with Activate, she was the lead producer on CREATE! 2026, a training course for early-career creatives and producers, in partnership with Arts by the Sea and b-side festival.
Grace has also worked with Motionhouse, Pavilion Dance South West, South East Dance, at Breakin’ Convention 2025 at Sadler’s Wells, and on Activate’s award-winning international outdoor arts festival Inside Out Dorset. She danced in the Cathy Waller Company’s award winning dance-for-drone film You are also Us, and has co-created original work for stage.
She’s passionate about advocating for the voices of emerging creatives, and strongly believes in the power of accessible, inclusive and high-quality art.
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gabby hyman
Gabby is a marketing and communications specialist with a passion for culture, community and place. Born and bred in Wimborne, the opportunity to help shape and promote Wimborne Town of Culture 2026 was one she couldn't resist.
Most recently, she was Head of Marketing and Communications at Southampton Forward, where she led audience engagement and communications for a three-year programme of festivals, creative commissions and community projects delivered as the legacy of Southampton’s shortlisted UK City of Culture 2025 bid.
Her career has taken her across the cultural, heritage and visitor attraction sectors, including roles with the National Trust, Upton Country Park and Exbury Gardens. She loves helping people discover new experiences, championing local creativity and finding meaningful ways to connect communities through culture.
WimbOrnE is dorsEt tOwn Of CulturE 2026
Being named Dorset Town of Culture 2026 gives us an unprecedented opportunity to bring our community together and introduce even more people to what makes Wimborne so special.
We are organising an exciting programme of events that will span the whole of the year. Our dream is that the collaborations and connections we all make over the coming months will lead to a more connected and creative community in and around Wimborne for years to come.
We see culture as art, performance, music, sport, heritage and leisure activities. It doesn’t fit neatly into one category. Much like the two rivers that meet in Wimborne, culture is a confluence of ideas and activities, all carried forward by our community.
That’s why we want you to help shape our year of culture by coming along to events, volunteering to support activities and perhaps even running your own sessions.