With thanks to Dr Ronda Gowland-Pryde, who has written the independent report for the Lift the Lid project, 2018 – 2020.
Tag: Lift the Lid
The Great Leap Forward
LIFT THE LID ON ISLAND CULTURE CELEBRATORY EXHIBITION
Quay Arts, West Gallery
Saturday 8 February – Saturday 18 April 2020
Opening Event: Sat 8 Feb, 12 – 2 pm
The Great Leap Day: Sat 29 Feb, 10 am – 2 pm
Free, all welcome!
A group exhibition of work created by local school children from across the Island reflecting upon the heritage of the Isle of Wight and theme of ‘The Future’, drawing inspiration from, and celebrating the Lift the Lid project and commissions.

Artists Ian Whitmore and Chris Jenkins worked with Island schools; St Saviours, Queensgate, Nine Acres, St Catherine’s, The Island Free School and Barton Primary to create work for this exhibition exploring heritage, culture and the theme of ‘The Future’. Taking inspiration from the four Lift the Lid public art commissions created on the Island earlier last year, the artists and young people invite you the viewer to consider what cultural heritage means to you and what might be left in the future for others to discover.
Join us on Saturday 8th February from 12 – 2pm, as we open the exhibition to the public and on
Saturday 29thFebruary from 10am – 2pm, for an interactive day of fun to celebrate the Leap Year.
At Quay Arts on Saturday 29 February from 10am – 2pm, Lift the Lid artists will be hosting workshops and performances to celebrate The Great Leap Forward exhibition, the end of the Lift the Lid on Island Cultureproject and to consider the future of cultural heritage on the Island through the eyes of young people. We’d love everyone to get involved by either coming to the event on online through social media.
We will be stating:
“This is IW Culture” and asking the question “Is this IW Culture?”
We’d like to explore this by presenting many types of what we might consider IW culture, e.g. glass blowing, sand art, poetry and fiction about the sea and the coastline, folk music, new art including the Ventnor Giant, etc.
We’ll be presenting a short film by Sassy Productions IW capturing what children and young people think IW Culture is.
This hashtag #LetsCreate has been used by the Arts Council England to share their new 10 year strategy. For The Great Leap Day we will use #LetsCreateIW (ACE SW have approved this use).
Lift the Lid social channels to follow/direct users to, before and on the day:
- Twitter: @LtL_IoWCulture
- Instagram: @liftthelidiow
- Facebook: @LtLIoW
- Hashtag (all channels): #LetsCreateIW
Community leaders can access a social media plan here and there’s a youth leader’s version.
Cultural Expo 2018
The Cultural Expo on Tuesday 9 October, attracted nearly 30 teachers from almost 20 schools, coming to meet together to talk all things ‘Heritage and Arts’.
With a video introduction from Island MP, Bob Seeley, plus welcoming words from Paul Armfield of Quay Arts, the afternoon included a very special choral performance from Gurnard Primary School’s choir, cake and presentations from:
- Lorraine Cheshire of Artswork, the South East’s Bridge organisation
- Chantal Thomas, a teacher from Gurnard Primary School
- Robert Baisley from St. George’s School
- Virgil Phillpott, Museum Manager of Carisbrooke Castle Museum on the Museums and Schools project
View the video welcome from MP, Bob Seeley.
There is a short write up in the County Press.
Both Gurnard Primary School and St. George’s School are on their Artsmark journey. If you would like to know more about Artsmark, which is an award for the whole school, you can view the website or read more about Artsmark on the Island.
We are also keen for pupils to take up Arts Award, which is an award for individual pupils. You can read more about Arts Award on the Island on the link at the top of the page.
We are looking forward to next year already! So if you would like to help us shape the Cultural Expo 2019, then get in touch on our contact page.