ORGANISERS of a popular arts festival that attracted thousands of people are busy working on ideas for the future.

Activate's Inside Out Dorset festival saw a series of spectacular outdoor performances take place in locations across the county over 10 days in September.

More than 20,000 people attended events over the course of the festival and Activate has now released a video featuring highlights from the performances, which can be seen at insideoutdorset.co.uk Organisers say audiences included local people and tourists, and ranged from families to cultural experts.

They enjoyed giant singing sculptures, pyrotechnics at nightfall and feasts of contemporary circus.

Areas of natural beauty were seen in a new light as artists created birdsong soundscapes, places to watch the clouds, a woodland dance and other installations to make the local environment even more special.

Activate Executive director and co-artistic director of Inside Out Dorset Kate Wood said: "We are absolutely delighted with the success of the festival this year.

"The events reached many thousands of people in rural and urban locations all across the county, which is an essential part of what makes Inside Out Dorset special, and distinctive for Dorset.

"We worked with so many exceptional artists who not only presented beautiful performance works and installations, but also worked with our communities in the lead up to the festival – from hospital patients to school children and from farmers to mental health service users.

"We are now working on ideas for a one-off special event in 2017 and our full festival programme in 2018."

While local and national artists created events for huge public audiences, an outreach programme also engaged more than 1,000 participants from primary school children to adults with severe and enduring mental illness who volunteer at Cherry Tree Nursery.

Sound artist Jane Pitt took participants on listening walks in the landscapes, and worked with them to create sonic maps, which are on display in an exhibition at the visitor centre at Hengisbury Head until early December.

A film highlighting the success of these amazing community activities has also been released.

An incredible 78 volunteers gave 884 hours to be involved in the festival.

One volunteer said: "I felt appreciated by the festival organisers and artists.

"The artists took time to explain their ideas to us and I learnt a lot about the planning and organisation of a festival such as this.

"I enjoyed being part of an exciting and well organised festival."