Coda Music & Arts Trust

30/09/2026

This October, African Activities take over the Coda gallery with their Nightjar Project exhibition 🪶🌎
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Bringing together work by 11 Global Majority artists, the exhibition spans across photography, sculpture, textiles, puppetry, fine art, poetry and more.⁠

Exhibition open 2–31 October
Mon-Fri, 10am–4pm⁠ | Free entry
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Come and spend some time with the work, encounter voices and perspectives you may not usually meet, and join us in thinking about who gets to tell the stories that shape how we see ourselves and one another.⁠

Exhibiting artists: Adekunle Taiwo, Adilson Naueji, Anne Charbel, Adeola Sheehy, Ana Williams, Steve Béga, Sharon James, Mahtab Grimshaw, Kwame Bakoji, Carmel De’Lisser, Berthram Hall

Find out more via coda.org.uk/exhibitions

22/09/2026

Fancy diving into a fun creative project this week?!

To celebrate the creativity of local young people, we're inviting 4-18 year olds to create something responding to the theme of PLAY, and share it with us for an Autumn showcase 🌀

You could make something inspired by nature, places, games, memories, or creatures...
Or you could capture "play" through the act of making itself - exploring movement, storytelling, or experimentation of materials!

We're excited to see artwork of all types - drawing, sculpture, collage, textiles, and so on 💭

Deadline: Thurs 1 October
For those aged 4–18 living in Dorset & New Forest, open to all abilities!

If you’ve got a child who is always making, know a young person who’s always experimenting, or are a young artist / maker yourself - we’d love to hear from you!

👉 Find out more and take part: www.coda.org.uk/open-call-young-artists

21/09/2026

Be a part of our growing songwriting community at Coda 🪕

Fri 25 September, 6pm-8pm
£5 per person

Join us for our monthly Songwriter's Circle, sharing music making ideas among likeminded people in a relaxed and supportive environment. Led by the fantastic Esther Keappock!

No pressure, just an open circle where projects are shared and connections are formed 🤝

Book via coda.org.uk/shop

Image credits:
1: Sarah Pardoe
2: Serrah Svga Sillah shot by

15/09/2026

Over the past few months, we’ve welcomed children, young people, families, artists, musicians and community groups through our doors 🌟

Coming together to create and experiment, Coda has been filled with music-making and messy creative play, as well as exhibitions, community events, fundraising and more.

Read all about the busy Summer we've had here via our blog! coda.org.uk/blog

1 - Sound Creatives, music-making for kids & teens
2 & 3- Sensory Seasons, creative exploration sessions for families
4 - Play Interact Explore, an interactive exhibition with Leap then Look
5 - Hampshire Open Studios, with our resident studio artists
6 - Dorset Art Weeks, with our resident studio artists
7 - Cardboard workshops for kids at the New Forest Show
8 - Coda's Ukulele Band performance at New Milton Dementia Allotments

14/09/2026

Nocturne: Hello Darkness, with Briony Hartley

Need a break from the dazzle of digital distractions? Join Briony for this small group gathering, resting in immersive darkness with recorded music, poetry, lantern making and contemplation.

Sat 19 September, 7pm-8.30pm at Coda
£10 per person

A celebration of natural darkness and human connection, Nocturne invites you to seize the night…

What to expect:
- A guided night-time gathering in the Acoustic Room at Coda
- Mindful reflection and creative activity – making simple night memory lanterns
- Nocturnal music as evening darkness falls
- Space to relax, reflect and connect with nature and each other at night

This event will be experienced seated in the dark with minimal artificial light.

Please email Briony if you have any queries! [email protected]

Book via coda.org.uk/shop

11/09/2026

Congratulations End Of The Road on 20 glorious years and 🙏 for your amazing support for our work Coda Music and Arts Trust ! We are so proud and grateful to work with you each year and funds raised through your guest list donations help to support our unique work in the local area, using music to transcend disability and illness, to tackle inequality and provide opportunity, and, wherever possible to bring the joy of music into the hands and dancing feet of everyone. Thank you, and we can’t wait for next year!

09/09/2026

08/09/2026

We are experiencing some issues with our phone lines today, please email [email protected] if you need to get in touch. We apologise for any inconvenience!

01/09/2026

Do you know a young person who loves drawing, painting, making, creating or experimenting? This is for them 📣

W’re inviting people aged 4–18 across Dorset and the New Forest to make something inspired by “play”.

You don’t need to think of yourself as an “artist” to take part - we just want to see creative exploration and ideas!

Your artwork could be:
🎨 A drawing or painting� ✂️ A collage or mixed-media piece� 📸 A photograph� 🧵 Something made with textiles, cardboard, or clay �🌀Something completely different!

You might explore, movement, games, imagination, nature, stories, places, colour, or memories…

Selected artworks will come together at Coda this November for a celebration of young people's creativity.

Deadline: Thurs 1 October
�For those aged 4–18 living in Dorset & New Forest

If you’ve got a child who is always making, know a young person who’s always experimenting, or are a young artist / maker yourself - we’d love to hear from you!

👉 Find out more and take part: www.coda.org.uk/open-call-young-artists

Share with someone who might enjoy getting involved! 💛