Dorset Museum & Art Gallery is lending reproductions of items from its PJ Harvey collection for a display at Dorchester Library.
The original items were presented to the museum by the Dorset-born singer-songwriter, musician and poet in 2022.
The facsimiles being loaned include a copy of Orlam inscribed by the author, typescript proofs with Harvey’s handwritten edits, and a signed photograph of Harvey wearing a brooch of traditional Dorset buttons.
Orlam was the first substantial work written in the Dorset dialect for many decades.
In drawing upon Dorset dialect and folklore, Harvey joins a long tradition of writers – including William Barnes, Thomas Hardy and Sylvia Townsend Warner – whose work has been shaped by the county’s distinctive landscape and culture.
PJ Harvey said: “I am indebted to Thomas Hardy and William Barnes, whose work has resonated with me my whole life.
“Researching Dorset folklore and history while writing Orlam enriched my life and deepened my appreciation of this magical part of the world.
“I am grateful to be part of the county’s writing tradition and delighted that the proofs and photograph will be on display at Dorchester Library where others can connect with that same tradition.”
PJ Harvey’s award-winning creative career spans three decades. The musician is the only artist to have won the Mercury Prize twice. She was awarded an MBE for services to music in 2013.
Facsimiles from the PJ Harvey collection are on display at Dorchester Library and Learning Centre until October 12.
The musician’s support for Dorset’s arts scene goes beyond the page. She also backed the final push to save Bridport’s historic Lyric Theatre, making a personal donation to its crowdfunder to repair the building’s roof.
Harvey and her band spent an extended residency at the theatre rehearsing for a world tour, and her recent BBC Radio 6 Music interview was recorded there.
More than 550 people backed the crowdfunder, helping it pass its £100,000 target, and the campaign secured a further £170,000 from Arts Council England. The local community also organised a remarkable range of fundraising events.
McCretton is clear about what Harvey’s backing means. “We are deeply grateful to PJ Harvey,” she says. “Polly’s support is enormously meaningful to us. Seeing one of Bridport’s most celebrated artists champion the future of the Lyric Theatre speaks volumes about the value of creativity in our town.”
PJ Harvey’s Dorset roots
Polly Jean Harvey was born and raised on a farm in Dorset, and the county has stayed at the heart of her music ever since.
Her recent work, including Orlam, draws directly on local folklore and dialect, and she has spoken about how growing up surrounded by Bridport’s artistic community gave her the confidence to trust her own voice as a songwriter.
One of the most acclaimed musicians of her generation, with eight Grammy nominations to her name, she still calls Dorset home. In January 2025 she received a special honour at the Original Music Awards, celebrating her deep and lasting connection to the county that shaped her.