INSIDE Out was an event - or, more accurately, a series of events - that took Dorset by storm.

For 11 days last September, crowds jammed the streets and flocked to some of the most magical open spaces in the county to enjoy dance, theatre, acrobatics and pyrotechnics on a spectacular scale.

Thirty thousand spectators turned out, sometimes despite unseasonally poor weather, for the biggest programme of free outdoor performance ever to take place in the South-West.

Feedback from audiences and artists alike was positive. One viewer in Bournemouth described it as the best event he'd seen in 80 years, and one mother thanked organisers "for bringing magic into the lives of my family and friends".

Inside Out was an initiative of the Dorset Theatre Promoters' Consortium and the project was managed by Activate, the county's theatre and dance development agency.

Programme directors Simon Chatterton and Bill Gee say they have been delighted with the response to the shows, which took two years to plan. They are now looking towards the future, with more performances in the pipeline.

The 2007 programme opened in Wimborne with two performances in the Minster of Arquiem, a dark folk tale presented by Brighton-based theatre company Periplum. An audience of nearly 1,500 viewers followed the tale of a doomed young man who murders his lover - and pays the ultimate price.

Poole was the next port of call, with Peixos. Weird and wonderful undersea creatures were paraded along Poole Quay through the bicycle-powered wizardry of Spanish street artists, Sarruga, in front of a 5,000 crowd.

Some 2,500 flocked to West Bay for Counter Currents, where dancers inter-acted with street furniture, parked cars and the audience; acrobats and aerial theatre artists held audiences spellbound; and local event partners West Dorset Youth Service and Bridport Arts Centre presented seven top local bands and a sassy bungee street dance.

The biggest single event, Fire Gardens, saw a spectacular fire installation by French artists Carabosse in Bournemouth's Lower Gardens, with around 20,000 turning out.

Nothe Fort in Weymouth was the backdrop to the electrifying performance of Carmen Funebre, an internationally acclaimed piece of theatre, by Teatr Biuro Podrozy, exploring the timeless themes of war and conflict.

The final event, Enclosure, by environmental art group Red Earth, took place on the ancient settlement site of Hambledon Hill in north Dorset, with hundreds of people braving rain and wind to climb the hill and be part of an atmospheric journey involving dance, music and fire.

Plans are under way to continue Inside Out events regularly as part of the cultural celebrations in the lead-up to the London 2012 Olympics.

The first of these will be a special one-off in September when French artists Groupe ZUR and groups from throughout Dorset will be creating an installation with film, sound, sculpture and performance at Portland Heights on the Jurassic Coast.

Although details are yet to be finalised, this promises to be another unforgettable experience. For more information visit the link below.