This autumn, the rugged landscape of Portland Sculpture & Quarry Trust, Dorset, becomes the stage for a major exhibition and symposium bringing together 25 members of the Royal Society of Sculptors in collaboration with the Portland Sculpture & Quarry Trust (PSQT). One Island – Many Visions unfolds across Drill Hall Gallery and the vast Tout Quarry Sculpture Park & Nature Reserve from 6 September – 31 October 2025, accompanied by a two-day symposium (27–28 September) on the intersections of art, ecology and climate.
A Site Shaped by Extraction and Renewal
Once scarred by centuries of quarrying, Tout Quarry is now a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a living barometer of environmental change. Artists are invited to respond to this layered terrain, where geology, biodiversity and history converge.
The project extends a legacy that began in the 1980s, when sculptors including Antony Gormley, Richard Long, Phyllida Barlow and Philip King worked with PSQT to help conserve the quarry through site-specific art. This year’s iteration brings a new generation of sculptors into dialogue with the land.
“The project has enabled artists to develop new ways of working – discovering and expanding their practices in response to Portland’s unique landscape,” says Hannah Sofaer, PSQT’s Creative Director, who leads the partnership with artist Dr Kate Parsons (MRSS).
Exhibition and Symposium
The exhibition spans multiple media – from casting and carving to sound, movement and performance – and reflects on the quarry as a place of flux and fragility.
Central to the programme is the symposium (27–28 September), which features contributions from artists, ecologists and thinkers including David Buckland, founder of the Cape Farewell project on climate change. Discussions will explore how art can both register and communicate environmental shifts. As Antony Gormley has observed: “It is through art that we communicate what it feels like to be alive… Can we use art as a way of investigating this perilous time?”
Living Archive
Sofaer’s Living Land Archive, a 40-year record of the changing landscape, provides a crucial touchstone for the participating artists. This evolving body of documentation supports both the creative process and the wider conversation on ecology and cultural memory.
The Artists
The roster includes established figures and emerging voices: Tabatha Andrews, Fiona Campbell, Deborah Duffin, Anna Gillespie, Nicola Turner, Colin Reid, Jane Fox, Chris Summerfield, Seamus Moran, Rebecca Newnham, Karen Browning, Alice Sheppard Fidler, Ros Burgin, Dr Wen-hsi Harman, and many others. Works range from sculptural interventions to performative actions and experimental uses of organic materials.
Several artists bring notable credentials: Colin Reid’s work is in the V&A collections; Nicola Turner exhibited at the RA courtyard in 2024; Karen Browning won the Glass Art Society Green/Sustainability Award in 2024; Alice Sheppard Fidler co-founded Studio Voltaire; and Anna Gillespie is represented by Beaux Arts Gallery. Collectively, they contribute to a rich conversation on art, sustainability and place.
Community and Collaboration
Alongside the exhibition, the programme features workshops, performances and collaborative events, ensuring strong community engagement. The project is supported by PSQT, The Arts Society Wessex Area, Bath University, Dorset Dry Stone Walling, Albion Stone, Russell Sach and Steve Russell Studios, with further fundraising ongoing.
The exhibition also coincides with Portland’s designation as part of Dorset’s County of Culture 2025 and Towns of Culture 2025, linking to a wider programme of cultural initiatives across the region.
Practical Information
- Exhibition & Installations: 6 September – 31 October 2025
- Private View: 6 September, 6–9pm
- Symposium: 27–28 September 2025
- Venues: Drill Hall Gallery, Easton Street, Portland DT5 1BW (Thu–Sun, 11–4pm); Tout Quarry Sculpture Park & Nature Reserve (open access)
- Admission: Free (donations welcomed)
- Updates & Programme: Instagram @oneislandmanyvisions
