Over 60 creatives attend the 2026 IW Creative Conference
A huge thank you to everyone who joined us for this year’s IW Creative Industries Conference on 24th March 2026 – whether you were in the room at Building 41 or tuning in via the live stream. It was a brilliant day of honest conversation, practical insight and shared thinking about what it means to […]
Arts Council England backs ambitious Isle of Wight programme connecting artists, schools and communities
Creative Island, the Cultural Development Agency for the Isle of Wight, is delighted to announce the programme for CAN YOU HEAR US? a six-week Island-wide celebration of creativity and culture, supported by Arts Council England’s Place Partnership Fund and taking place between 11th September and 24th October 2026. Featuring film, craft, public art, music, theatre, […]
Artist Announcement for ‘Landed’
Creative Island and the Isle of Wight National Landscape are pleased to announce Trudie Wilson, Laura Hathaway and Hector MacInnes as the commissioned artists for Landed, part of CAN YOU HEAR US? a celebration of creativity and culture taking place in Autumn this year. We’re excited to be collaborating with the Isle of Wight National Landscape on this project, to […]
Isle of Wight Book Awards celebrate literary talent at annual prize-giving lunch
It’s a week of award-giving on the Isle of Wight! On Tuesday, the annual Isle of Wight Book Awards opened the Island’s Literary Festival this week with a prize-giving lunch at the Island Sailing Club in Cowes. The 2025 Awards welcomed any book published in 2024 that was either set on or about the Isle […]
Brave Island’s Isle of Wight Young Artist Award winners announced
Congratulations are in order for a group of 14 to 25-year-old Isle of Wight artists whose work now fills the Clayden Gallery at Quay Arts in Newport. The exhibition forms part of the Brave Island Isle of Wight Young Artist Award and gives visitors the chance to see the creativity of many talented young Islanders. […]
Ventnor Exchange secures £20,000 from National Rural Funding Programme
Ventnor Exchange has secured £20,000 from a national funding initiative aimed at strengthening rural communities across Britain. The Isle of Wight organisation was one of eight across the UK to benefit from the Royal Countryside Fund’s latest grant distribution, which totalled £194,538. The UK-wide charity works alongside farming families and rural communities to provide essential […]
Isle of Wight Poet Laureate Programme set to launch in January 2026: Get involved
The Isle of Wight stands on the brink of creating its own literary legacy with the launch of a groundbreaking Poet Laureate Programme. Organisers have announced that the initiative will launch in January 2026, marking a significant cultural milestone for the Island community. The programme promises to celebrate poetry, creativity, and local voices through a […]
Quay Arts announces winners of 2025 ‘SOFT’ Exhibition
The Isle of Wight’s largest arts centre, Quay Arts, has revealed the winners of its highly anticipated 2025 Biennial OPEN Exhibition ‘SOFT’, with Island artist Joshua Raffell claiming first prize and Zixiang Zhang securing second place. The competition showcases emerging and established artists exploring themes of tenderness, vulnerability and tactile experience. Interactive installation takes top […]
Isle of Wight opens doors to musical heritage at new Newport museum
A dedicated museum celebrating the Isle of Wight’s rich musical legacy has welcomed its first visitors in Newport. The Wight Music Experience showcases thousands of exhibits that chronicle the Island’s musical journey, spanning from historic festivals to contemporary chart successes including Wet Leg and Coach Party. Historic festival legacy lives onRay Foulk, co-promoter of the […]
Islanders invited to contribute to Isle of Wight’s global biosphere showcase
The Isle of Wight Biosphere will take its place on the world stage at an upcoming international gathering in China. International coordinator, Sally Chaucer, will represent the Island at the fifth World Congress of Biosphere Reserves in Hangzhou. A decade in the makingThe congress brings together representatives from 748 biosphere reserves spanning 134 countries worldwide. […]