Creative Island is committed to convening a series of local conversations with the cultural community of each town on the Isle of Wight. The ambition is to speak about and listen to the particular challenges and opportunities that we all face, to explore collaborative opportunities, share information and network with others. An initial Creative West meeting was held on 15th April 2024 at West Wight Sports and Community Centre and garnered a very positive response.
Most recently (Monday 25th November 2024), we hosted the second session of Town Conversations for the West Wight, part of our ongoing series of five place-based gatherings across the Isle of Wight.
This session welcomed around 20 diverse creatives to the room, facilitated by Gavin, Director of Creative Island. Gavin shared updates on Creative Island’s recent work and invited an open discussion on the challenges and benefits of living and working on an island compared to the mainland. Encouragingly, the list of “better” attributes significantly outpaced the “harder” ones, though several themes were noted as fitting into both categories.
Local artist Nathan Holt shared his intriguing research on The Belinus Line, a conceptual network connecting the UK via 33 points, starting at Gatcombe Manor & stretching as far as Scotland. This captivated the group, adding a sense of charm and connectivity to the discussion.
In the latter part of the session, attendees had the opportunity to network, exchange ideas, and explore potential partnerships. These conversations began laying the groundwork for collaborative projects aimed at enriching the local creative landscape and developing the surrounding areas.
Anyone who is curious about how the work they do contributes to the quality of West Wight is invited to get involved in future meetings.
Keep an eye on our socials for updates!
