Our Projects

We are delighted to be reintroducing some of our community sessions in person as Covid-19 restrictions ease. DanceMakers, DanceSense, Creative Café and Anxiety Café started up in May 2021, with other actitivites restarting from July 19th.

During the pandemic we have posted hundreds of free creative activities online which you can continue to enjoy on our Independent Arts YouTube channel.

Looking Out From Lockdown

Looking Out From Lockdown is an Island-wide project celebrating the creativity of Island people during lockdowns in 2020 and 2021. In collaboration with Lord-Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight, Susie Sheldon, Independent Arts offered 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. Enjoy the online gallery here.

A touring exhibition of some of the art created goes on show at venues around the Isle of Wight during summer 2021.

InTouch2

Independent Arts is trialling a new digital project, InTouch2, aiming to reduce isolation for those living in residential care, cut off from their friends and families during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Pencil Case Project

This project was begun in response to the Covid-19 lockdown measures when our lottery-funded inter-generational schools and care home project School Ties was temporarily halted. Our funder, the National Lottery, very generously agreed for funds to be repurposed to provide for the new art sacks!

Welcome to the Festival of Islesolation

Thanks to funding from Arts Council England, our online Islesolation gallery showcases inspiring work by island artists produced during Covid 19 restrictions. Do check it out!

Islesolation Gallery

Our singing-for-wellbeing groups take place in ten towns across the Isle of Wight.
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Our weekly session in Newport every Thursday is specially designed to aid respiratory health.
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Our arts and mindfulness sessions for people experiencing mid-life mental health issues.

Our community dance sessions weekly in Newport, Freshwater, Sandown and Ryde.
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DanceSense is a weekly movement session in Newport for people living with neurological conditions.
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Our new project seeks to make Isle of Wight care homes a hub for creativity and the arts.
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Get creative over a cuppa every Monday morning in Newport, with different activities each week.
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Independent Arts supports this peer-led group which is open to anyone living with anxiety.
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Our intergenerational project where primary pupils and care home residents learn together.
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Past Projects

Our Time & Tide project brought quality participatory arts to older people in a range of community venues across the island.
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Our 2019 ReMap project helped people living with chronic pain.

AfterWARds was our 2016 intergenerational creative arts project and exhibition designed to enhance public understanding of the impact of war on the lives of service personnel.