There are choirs, drama clubs, bands, orchestras and dance schools to join. Dorchester Music Festival for school age children run by Rotary gets bigger every year. The County Museum has a programme of fine classical concerts as well as temporary art exhibitions through the year.

Local businesses are chipping in to pay for more summertime street theatre from juggling and stilt walking to drama, singing and dancing in South Street to make a visit to the county town even more relaxing, interesting and fun.

There’s good support from the local authorities for the arts with both Dorset County Council and West Dorset District Council having dedicated arts officers and Dorchester Town Council organising a programme of concerts in the Corn Exchange, the Borough Gardens and Maumbury Rings.

The most recent recruit to council arts teams is Tom Hopkins, who joined in January as community music developer at West Dorset District Council. He’s encouraging more music-making activities and events and planning a new community music festival next year.

The biennial Dorset Arts Weeks and the Thomas Hardy Festival and Conference will be centrepieces in next year’s arts programme. With high hopes for a new, dedicated arts centre in the redeveloped former Eldridge Pope brewery site, the arts scene in Dorchester looks set for a bright future.

Take a look at what's on offer throughout the area with our What's on guide.