The Isle of Purbeck Arts Trust has been set up recently to incorporate the two grant giving funds formerly part of the Isle of Purbeck Arts Club: The Douglas Strickland Bursary Fund for schools and the Emmie & Rex Neate Bursary Fund for individuals as well as a Trust Fund for community projects.

The Douglas Strickland Bursary Fund has been supporting local schools in and between Swanage and Wareham for over 30 years with funds to help with the purchase of equipment such as reading books, classroom instruments, art materials and drying racks, printing screens and digital cameras to name but a few.

The Emmie & Rex Neate Bursary Fund was also established over 30 years ago through a generous legacy part of which was ring-fenced to support the Purbeck Flower Group and the rest was to support young people studying an undergraduate course in an arts subject (art, music, dance etc.) or younger pupils attending specialist arts schools or taking specialist arts courses, and those who need help with the first stage of their professional career in the arts.

The Community Fund is intended to be for a specific project in art/music/literature/drama/dance to be completed within a specific period.