Get Involved

Bridgwater Film Project

We’re delighted this year to be working with the Bridgwater Town Deal Board and the local community to create a short fictional film that celebrates Bridgwater and captures the spirit of the people who live and work in the town. The film will be released in December 2025 and pre-production starts in early Spring and you can get involved.

Follow us on social media or subscribe to our ebulletin to find out how production progresses.

  • To inspire our production team we’re asking you to share your ‘top three things about Bridgwater’. Your list could include a place, person, event or activity. Having been based in Bridgwater as an organisation for twenty-one years we will know some of them e.g. Carnival! So we’re really interested to hear about the favourite things that only someone from Bridgwater would know. Send your top three with a short sentence about why you have chosen them via email to info@somersetfilm.com with the subject “Bridgwater Top Three” by March 31st 2025.

  • If you have an interesting story to tell about how you came to live in Bridgwater or an eventful journey that brought you back safely home to Bridgwater then we would also love to hear from you too. Drop us an email to info@somersetfilm.com with the subject ‘Bridgwater Journey”.

  • If you would be willing to volunteer your time and would like to be involved as an extra, then send us your contact details, with a photo and your date of birth to info@somersetfilm.com with the subject “Bridgwater Film Extra”.

The Robert Richards Award

Young Photographers Showcase

Are you a budding photographer aged 25 and under? Do you enjoy capturing the world through images using your phone, tablet or DSLR? Do you have a photo you have taken that you would love to share with the general public?

We’re inviting anyone under the age of 25 to submit up to three images for consideration for a showcase at The Engine Room in August 2025. Between January and May 31st 2025, send them via email to info@somersetfilm.com or tag them via Instagram with the hashtag #RobertRichardsAward.

Photos should not have been taken before 2022. You may crop and edit your photo but please do not create images using generative AI. Images should be suitable for a family audience. *You must be aged 25 and under by the date of entry.

We aim to showcase as many images as possible during the exhibition. One image, selected by our panel, which celebrates the environment or highlights climate change will receive the Robert Richards Award.

Wellington Film Festival…

…returns on 3rd - 5th October 2025 with a great mix of films. The steering committee are busy putting a new programme together, which will include screenings at the Wellesley, St. John’s Church and Wellington Arts Centre. The film quiz, outdoor screening and music in the park will be back too!

Get involved by making a movie in a weekend! Are you a filmmaker aged under 21? Then this is the challenge for you! The 48 hour period will start on Friday 22nd August at 6pm and end on Sunday 24th August at 6pm.

Half Term Activity

Each half term at The Engine Room we aim to provide a drop in creative activity for all ages. We also work in partnership with other venues such as the brilliant ArtBank in Shepton Mallet to take these across the county. Subscribe to our ebulletin to find out dates and times. This year we are planning the following:

February - Glow Play: Fun, free Neon activities to light up those grey February days. In partnership with the Bridgwater Cultural Partners and supported by Bridgwater Town Council.

May - Monsters in Black and White: Taking inspiration from those original movie monsters King Kong and Godzilla amongst others, we’ll create new creatures to roam a lost online land

November - We have lots of ideas for this and are undecided so we’ll be consulting with our youth forum. It could be Glow Masterpieces or something to coincide with Gaia, Luke Jerrams installation in the town hall. Watch this space or help us choose by attending one of our forums!

Disability Advisory Panel

Are you a person with a disability or are you involved with an organisation which supports people with a disability? We would like hear your views on the programme of work Somerset Film delivers for people with a disability. We’re keen to hear your ideas and thoughts on our future direction and welcome your input. Our panel meets in person and online on 25 February 2025 at 2pm. If you would like to attend please contact us.

Youth Advisory Panel

Are you aged under 21 or are you involved with an organisation which supports children and young people? We would like hear your for views on the programme of work Somerset Film delivers for people and you can help us to test ideas for upcoming activities. Our panel next meets on 19th February 2025 at 2pm. If you would like to attend please contact us.

Seed

Seed is the first South West based Creative People and Places (CPP) – an Arts Council Funded initiative all about allowing more people to choose, create and take part in arts and cultural activity, and thus creates an exciting opportunity within Sedgemoor’s towns and parishes.

We believe that everybody has the right and ability to be creative, and we are here to help make that happen across Sedgemoor. Amongst their many issues you can help shape their work by volunteering as a ‘Sower and Grower’ or adding your voice through their. Creative Accelerator events.

Bridgwater Together

Bridgwater Together began life as a free one day event in October 2016. Each year it celebrates the vibrant diversity in the town through music and food, stories, dance and film from many cultures. If you would like to get involved in future events please contact us.

Follow the Facebook page to stay updated and click here to visit the event page.

We also plan to bring a creative contribution to Chard in 2025.