At Creative Island, we are dedicated to fostering local dialogues within the cultural communities across the Isle of Wight. Back in June 2024, we had our first gathering at Newport Minster, where over 20 enthusiastic individuals came together to discuss and enhance the quality of life in Newport, the Island’s central hub.
Despite concerns of fragmentation and neglect in Newport, the meeting highlighted a strong collective commitment to celebrating the town’s unique assets, including three theatres, the newly renovated Minster, Quay Arts – a vibrant centre for exhibitions, theatre shows, and live music – museums, the Lord Louis Library, and Strings, a beloved music venue and safe space for young people.
Our second session which took place in January 2025, was in collaboration with the Newport Cultural Consortium. We explored Newport’s unique identity, celebrated Newport’s achievements, and discussed exciting opportunities ahead – from heritage projects to creative industries and the importance of championing our strengths. As Julie Jones-Evans said, “Newport is always up for change – we don’t get scared of new stuff. We always embrace it!”
Our most recent Town Conversations, held Monday 28th July at 64 High Street, brought together a small but committed group to share their deep-rooted connections to Newport, as well as big-picture ideas for its future.
Common themes included the need to improve infrastructure for young people, strengthen their sense of belonging, and create more space for collaboration across generations and sectors. The conversation highlighted Newport’s existing strengths such as its central location, creative assets like Strings, Quay Arts and Independent Arts, and strong community spirit, while also calling for more consistent support, connection, and investment to build on that foundation.
The session also led to the creation of a new WhatsApp group to help keep momentum going, share opportunities, and develop ideas collaboratively between these meetings. If you’d like to be a part of this community WhatsApp group, please email your number to Sam at sam@creativeisland.org. We’re keen to have as many creatives, council leaders and cultural partners (basically, as many people connected to Newport as possible!) to share their ambitions and collaborate on ideas to take them from in people’s heads to out on the streets.
For future Newport Town Conversations, we’ll update this page and our socials, please connect with us to stay tuned. Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn
