A NEW touring exhibition celebrating multi-ethnic Dorset is being set up as part of Black History Month.

The exhibition is expressed through images and stories and has been produced as part of an arts project called All Different, All Dorset.

It is supported by Arts Council England and Dorset County Council.

The project was set up by West Dorset writer and poet Louisa Adjoa Parker, who has Ghanaian heritage.

She has been running the project and holding photography and story-telling workshops across Dorset with photographer Martin Coyne.

She said: “I wanted the project to say: ‘We are here, these are our stories, we are contributing to the community and have every right to belong here.’ “I know of a few incidents in which people have been physically attacked due to racism and I think that if the community can read some of our stories and see the beautiful images, it may help us move one step closer to ending racism and discrimination in this fantastic county.”

She added: “I believe that the majority of this comes from ignorance, not hatred.”

The exhibition will be available to view in the foyer at County Hall in Dorchester from October 17 to October 28. An opening event will be held today from noon to 2pm.

Visit the blog at http://alldifferentalldorset.wordpress.com