From 100-million-year-old fossils to Indonesian dancing and drumming workshops, Sandown was alive with culture on Wednesday as the town showcased its creative talents in a bid to secure £3million in Government funding.
The Trouville Hotel on Sandown Esplanade hosted a packed programme of family entertainment and hands-on activities, bringing together artists, performers and community groups as preparations continue for Sandown’s final bid to become the UK’s first Town of Culture.
Sandown is 1 of just 15 towns shortlisted from almost 400 applications nationwide, with the winner set to receive a £3million grant to deliver a cultural programme lasting around 6 months during 2028.
The town faces competition from locations including Lerwick in Shetland, Port Talbot in Wales and Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, with final submissions due by 30th November.
This week’s event, organised by the Sandown Tide Turners bid team, gave residents and visitors a taste of what the town could offer if successful.
Activities ranged from live performances and dance workshops to science demonstrations and creative writing, highlighting the bid’s distinctive combination of arts, heritage and natural history.
Tracy Mikich, a member of the Sandown Tide Turners team, explained that the event brought together several key elements of the town’s proposals, including science and discovery, performing arts, dance and writing.
Sharon George, Creative Director of the bid and Shademakers UK carnival arts company, has said:
“The buzz in here is lovely. We’ve just had Tiger Feet, so we’ve got loads of little toddlers running around and dancing, we’ve got people in costumes, you can go out and have a walk…you can come to Sandown and see the amazing landscape we’ve got.”
One of the attractions was a pop-up natural history museum presented by ecologist Ian Boyd, giving visitors the opportunity to get up close to fossils, animal skulls and other specimens.
The hands-on exhibits allowed children to use microscopes and explore Sandown’s remarkable natural history, including discoveries dating back millions of years.
Paul Coueslant, another member of the bid team, praised the display and the opportunities it offered young visitors.
He has said:
“Any child, who doesn’t need to be keen on science, can get hands-on with microscopes, animal skulls, the scientific element that’s all part of our bid.
“It’s probably what makes us different – this combination of arts and science.”
Organisers believe the £3million opportunity could play an important role in changing perceptions of Sandown and encouraging greater pride in the seaside town.
Playwright Joe Plumb, who directs Shademakers UK, has said:
“It’s a really special moment for the whole of the Isle of Wight.
“You get loads of rumblings of people on social media…‘why is Sandown going to do that, there’s nothing going on there?’
“This is exactly why a town like this can be shaped. Culture doesn’t solve all the problem, but the feeling of pride that you have in the place because of the cultural activity means more people will come here…shift people’s whole perceptions of what happens here.”
The event comes as the Sandown Tide Turners team continues to develop its final proposals, with the deadline for submission now less than 6 weeks away.
If successful, Sandown would receive £3million to deliver its programme in 2028, putting the Isle of Wight town in the national spotlight through a celebration of its culture, creativity and heritage.
