A new Island-wide project celebrating the creativity of local people during lockdown, both in 2020 and again now in 2021, has been launched with the support of the Lord-Lieutenant.
In collaboration with Lord Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight, Susie Sheldon, local charity Independent Arts is offering people the chance to exhibit their lockdown creations, be it painting, photographs, poetry, music, speech, pottery, writing, crafts, projects, inventions, baking, gardening or anything else creative completed to keep spirits up during lockdown.
Whether it is something that captures the moment of lockdown 1, or whether it is right now in lockdown 3, everyone is urged to get creative and submit their projects to fill the gallery with their thoughts, visions and reflections in any art form, plus the story behind them.
The website will become a time capsule for the Island’s community to admire and share in years to come when reflecting on the experiences of the pandemic. The online gallery will be an expansion of the ‘Festival of Islesolation’ Independent Arts created during the first lockdown in 2020, which was funded by Arts Council England
The plan is to hold physical exhibitions after restrictions end, so save those creations that can’t be exhibited online. For contributors who are unable to photograph and submit work online to the website, there will eventually be the option to use drop-off points, where creations can be photographed and submitted on your behalf and returned.
Charities, schools, care homes, businesses, clubs and organisations are all encouraged to get involved in this project and give people the motivation to get creative. Individual exhibitions of ‘Looking Out From Lockdown’ could be held around the island, once restrictions ease.
The Lord-Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight, Susie Sheldon says:
“This is an exciting project that should give everyone an incentive to concentrate their talents for a purpose. In these difficult times we all need a purpose to keep us motivated. Everyone has the ability to be creative in different ways and I am really excited at the prospect of seeing all the works, ideas, inventions, thoughts etc that have come out of the time Islanders have spent in Lockdown both in 2020 and again now. Let this be something really good that comes out of the difficult times we are all going through”.
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Lisa Gagliani MBE, Chief Executive of Independent Arts says:
“When we heard about this idea, we knew it was perfect to add to our existing Islesolation Gallery developed in lockdown one – with this new impetus, we hope many more Islanders will find inspiration to have a go and submit something, as we know just how valuable making, doing and displaying one’s creativity can be at a time of stress.”
To find out how to get involved, head to https://islesolationgallery.com/LookingOutFromLockdown.
Submissions are welcome from any Island resident, of any age, preferably via email attachment to [email protected]. Check the Tips & Tricks section for help in providing a good quality image so that your creativity shines. For video or musical submissions, email and attach a YouTube link.
