Calling all Isle of Wight artists!
Solent Seascape has announced an open call for artists to engage in a new residency, creatively exploring nature restoration within the Solent. This residency, part of the ambitious Solent Seascape Project (SSP), invites artists to connect with the community, bringing new awareness to the local seascape and its ongoing recovery.
Applications are now open, with a deadline of 11th December 2024 at 11.59 pm GMT. Selected artists will receive a grant of £4,000, covering fees, materials and participation costs.
Restoring a vital coastal habitat
The Solent Seascape Project is the UK’s pioneering initiative to tackle seascape-scale ecological recovery. Stretching from the Needles to Selsey and Pagham Harbour, the Solent supports an intricate coastal ecosystem vital to the region’s wildlife.
Through SSP, a coalition of ten partner organisations is actively restoring seagrass meadows, saltmarshes, seabird nesting sites and native oyster reefs. These habitats nurture an array of marine wildlife, including thresher sharks, seahorses and tens of thousands of migratory birds. The residency aims to bring the unique and dynamic life of these restored habitats to a wider audience, celebrating the ways communities interact with this diverse ecosystem.
Residency objectives
Artists selected for the residency will focus on bridging connections between people, place and nature. This role seeks to highlight the ecological importance and challenges faced by the Solent’s coastal areas, allowing communities to gain deeper insight into the region’s seascape through art.
Running for up to eight months, starting between February and March 2025, the residency will enable artists to engage deeply with local audiences, producing work that resonates with the themes of restoration and community connection. Artists will also have an opportunity to exhibit their creations locally, contributing to broader community engagement.
Connecting communities to seascape recovery
SSP emphasises community involvement, recognising that successful restoration relies on local engagement. Through this residency, the artist will help inspire public interest, inviting locals to co-create a Seascape Recovery Plan.
Artists interested in exploring themes such as cultural traditions, contemporary views on biodiversity, and community hopes for the future of the Solent seascape are encouraged to apply. Artforms may range from music and painting to ceramics, poetry, and site-specific installations.
It’s essential that the artist directly interacts with the community, creating new artworks in response to the Solent’s unique people and landscape.
Find out more
For more information about the Solent Seascape Project and the residency application, visit Solent Seascape Project.
