2 successful funding applications have been announced by The Island Collection charity.
The Island Collection was set up in 2019 to provide a vehicle for more collaborative working within the arts, culture, and heritage sector on the Isle of Wight. The charity also hosts the Cultural Education Partnership which links schools with hundreds of organisations with the ambition to ensure that all children and young people on the Isle of Wight have access to creative and cultural opportunities.
Artswork, the South East Bridge organisation, has provided investment to the Island Collection for a project which aims to boost young people’s mental health. The investment has been made as part of Artswork’s Supporting Young Minds programme, and will provide opportunities for children and young people at most risk to take part in creative, physically active, outdoor experiences that promote good mental health and wellbeing.
The young people will be able to work towards an Arts Award which celebrates their involvement. The grant will provide training for artists and environmental workers and for mental health and youth professionals. The project aims to highlight the benefits of creative approaches in promoting children’s and young people’s mental health.
The Island Collection has also secured £40,000 funding from Arts Council England and the Isle of Wight Council Regeneration team to continue its work to promote, support and develop the arts, culture & heritage on the Island.
The investment will assist sector networking events, the hosting of a Cultural Conference in May and a Children’s Conference in October. The funding will also secure the first executive director post for The Island Collection, which until now has been entirely run by its volunteer trustees.nly support the sector but work collaboratively with partner organisations to form a Cultural Strategy and action plan for the Isle of Wight.
Chair of trustees, Simon Harrison, has said:
“We are very pleased with the confidence Artswork and the Arts Council England have expressed in the Island and The Island Collection through these investments.
Article continues below this advertisement “Artswork’s investment will allow us to make a vital difference to young people’s mental health through the engagement of creative pursuits leading to accredited Arts Awards, whilst that from Arts Council England is the first tangible benefit from the Island’s new Priority Places status and will allow The Island Collection to start to realise its full potential in enabling cultural regeneration.
“I’m particularly excited by the Council’s commitment to this and believe that together we can in time make a real difference to the wellbeing of all on the Island.”
In supporting the progress already made, Councillor Julie Jones-Evans, Cabinet member Regeneration, Business Development and Tourism, has said:
“This news is so welcome; The Island Collection can now begin to support the island’s vital creative sector and help deliver on the island being an Arts Council England (ACE) Priority Place for the next three years.
“The Isle of Wight Council’s financial and in-kind support I hope demonstrates the commitment from the local government.
“Cultural Regeneration is a top priority of mine, it’s an underplayed tool for sustainable economic and well-being improvements. I’m particularly pleased about the two conferences planned for this year, enabling the conversation to be widened, especially with our young people.”
Good news, although the irony is the organisation that helped set up the Island Collection, Venture South gets no support from Council. Great to see the Council putting the heritage/ arts/ culture in the middle of its regeneration plan. Can they now ensure it is in the Island Plan????