Lift the Lid on Island Culture

Coinciding with the European Year of Cultural Heritage in 2018 and the Year of the Biosphere in 2019, Lift the Lid (LTL) aimed to reignite a sense of pride and passion in cultural heritage on the Isle of Wight.

This was achieved through a commissioning programme resulting in offsite artworks in four areas across the Isle of Wight (Pan/Newport, East Cowes, Totland and Ventnor) and a schools response exhibition at Quay Arts. It emphasised the diversity of cultural experiences on the Island and showcased music, visual arts, and dance by encouraging wide participation as well as encouraging new audiences to experience site-specific commissioned work by established contemporary artists and performers.

The selected artists and their artworks consisted of:

• Phlegm’s Ventnor Giant mural in Ventnor
• Dmitri Galitzine’s film ‘Back and Forth’ involving residents from East Cowes
• Julie Myers’ The Great Light and Dark Show in Totland
• BearFace Theatre CIC performance, ‘We That Breathe’, a community theatre show in Pan/Newport.

The project gave direction of travel for the Island’s cultural sector – the Cultural Education Partnership members, who continued to work together purposefully to ensure future collaboration and joined up thinking across the Isle of Wight and build a strong case for support for the arts and heritage to future funders.

Supported by Arts Council England, Artswork, IW Council, IW Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the Mike Howley Trust.