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Island granted £700k for year of cultural events

Tracy Curtis/Creative Island An explosion of vibrant colour - a person stands looking towards the camera, surrounded by colourful props and wearing an ornate mask decorated with blue, pink and orange flowers, bird feathers and gemstones. They also have a large structural piece attached to their back like wings, and large wired flowers in red, yellow and greens surround them. They are holding a staff with a large wired framed feather in orange with gold detailing.Tracy Curtis/Creative Island
Funding means the Isle of Wight is set for a year of cultural and creative activities, like the Isle of Wight Mardi Gras from 2023

Creative activities on the Isle of Wight are set to receive a £704,000 funding boost.

Arts Council England has revealed it is giving cultural development agency Creative Island money for a new year-long programme.

The council is investing £404,000 in the Place Partnership, with extra financial support coming from Isle of Wight Council, National Landscapes, community trusts and individual donors.

Gavin Stride, director of Creative Island, said he hoped people would now recognise the Isle of Wight as a "special, ambitious and creative place".

The money will be used to help showcase creativity and culture across the island and culminate in a six-week celebration in the autumn of 2026.

Partners confirmed so far include Artswork, Isle of Wight Community Action, Creative Lives, Independent Arts, National Landscapes and Vectis Radio.

Julian Winslow/Creative Island A large red circus tent has been put up right by the Ventnor coast. It is nestled in by a large hill covered in green hedging and grass overlooking the sea. There are people gathered outside, some standing near the tent, some walking past and others sat around a picnic blanket. Four flagpoles have been put up to the right of the image in a row, with purple, pink and gold stripes, they are blowing in the wind.Julian Winslow/Creative Island
Ventnor Fringe was another event praised for raising the island's cultural profile

Phil Gibby, from Arts Council England South West, said: "The Isle of Wight's cultural ambitions are clear to everyone right now.

"The transformation of Ventnor and the wonderful carnival culture that brings the island together, this is a place where the arts are at the heart of every conversation.

"Our investment will enable the Isle of Wight to go to the next level with its ambition, we applaud the artists, cultural leaders, politicians, and stakeholders who have done so much to make this possible."

Communities will also be encouraged to get involved in creative activities.

Mr Stride said: "This is such a positive signal for the island, recognising as it does the remarkable creative community that exists here.

"It offers us an opportunity to demonstrate what we are capable of together.

"Our dearest hope is that this is the start of something bigger in which the wider world recognises the Isle of Wight as the special, ambitious and creative place that it is."

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