Come along to our next FUTURE WORKS event – at a different location & time to usual, as part of this year’s Ventnor Fringe Festival, located within Flowersbrook… in a tent!
Next event: Tue 23 July 2024, 12-2pm
The Flowersbrook Inn, Ventnor. FREE
Book your free ticket here!
Future Works is a new regular, free event for 16-30 year olds on the IW to meet new people, make connections, and start collaborating. The event will feature exciting guests from all areas of the creative industries, brought to you by Brave Island, Platform One and IW Creative Network!
We’re always asked by young creatives how to get your foot in the door, get feedback on a piece of work, or just where to go to meet some new people on the Island. So we’ve come together to create an exciting FREE event for young aspiring creatives. At each event we’ll be joined by exciting guests from all areas of the creative industries, to discuss different topics around starting your creative career.
July Guest Speakers:
Joining us will be Screen Writer & Actor Joe Bone, Creative Projects Manager at Ventnor Exchange Megan Stisted, and Creative Director from Wonderfell Theatre Company Vicky Wells.
Joe is an Actor and Screen Writer from the Isle of Wight. Schooled at Downside Middle and Cowes High, he went on to study Film and Theatre at university. After successfully debuting his solo work ‘Bane’ on the Island in 2008, he took the show to Brighton Fringe and Edinburgh Fringe Festival where he ran sell out shows to critical acclaim. He developed a series of ‘Bane’ shows and toured them globally from 2008-2017 with fellow musician and school friend, Ben Roe. Syndicating them into Portuguese for Brazilian actor, Gustavo Rodrigues.
Joe was signed by United Agents in 2012, kick-starting his TV and film career, acting on-screen in Castles in the Sky, Endeavour, Six minutes to Midnight, Tom and Jerry the Movie, Beyond Paradise and more recently, the Netflix smash-hit Baby Reindeer.
In 2019 he co-wrote the acclaimed thriller, ‘The Vanishing’, starring Peter Mullan and Gerard Butler, directed by Kristoffer Nyholm. He was commissioned in 2022 by Big Talk and Altitude Films, to write the Colin Pillinger biopic, ‘Mars Express’, inspired by the Beagle 2 mission, with Toby Jones starring. He was commissioned in 2023 to write his action feature film set in the Houses of Parliament, ‘Parliament Strom’, for Future Artists Entertainment, with Pierre Morel (Taken) on board to direct. In late 2023 he was hired by Indefinite Films and Big Talk Studios, to pen the screenplay for ‘KUJI’, the fascinating true story of British computer hacker, Matthew Bevan. In 2024 he was hired by HTM (Jed Mercurio) to pen the pilot to ‘Spark’, his original boxing TV series with Connor Swindells (Barbie, Scoop) attached to star.
Megan is the Creative Projects Manager at Ventnor Exchange, an arts organisation which runs lots of events, clubs, and workshops throughout the year. Her main role is looking after the Brave Island platform – planning, marketing, and delivering different opportunities every week.
She says, “I started out in the creative industries with an Events Assistant apprenticeship, across Quay Arts and Ventnor Exchange. After finishing A-Levels and feeling like University wasn’t the best fit for me, I was lucky enough to find an apprenticeship in what I wanted to do right here on the Island. I’ve then been able to work my way up to where I am now, and most importantly work on making creative careers more accessible to local young people like me.”
Ventnor Exchange is also home to the Ventnor Fringe Festival, a multidisciplinary arts festival which takes over the town for 10 days in July with over 100 different shows. Megan works on many different aspects of the festival, from programming shows to artist liaison during the event.
Vicky began working with children in her teens and became a qualified KS2 primary school teacher in 2010. She has taught across all levels of primary and also Drama/English/Music in secondary education. She set up Wonderfell Theatre Company in 2020 to combine her love of drama and working with children, along with a passion for improving a child’s creativity, self-esteem and mental health and well-being.
She says, “Every workshop we create is inspired by children, for children. Our hope is to create and deliver innovative workshops and theatre to awaken all senses and creatively engage curious, young minds.”
They go into primary schools across the Isle of Wight and deliver immersive storytelling experiences and workshops to children. They currently have 5 workshops on offer and welcome bespoke commissions too. Vicky oversees all areas of the creative process from writing, producing, directing, budgeting, delivering, logistics and liaising with staff teams. They also have done some commercial events and will be co-producing the first Ventnor Family Fringe area this year, in collaboration with the team at Ventnor Exchange.
Want to start a band but don’t know a drummer? Want to write a play but don’t know any actors? Maybe you want to film a showreel but don’t know a filmmaker? Then make sure to pop along to Future Works!
Book your FREE ticket here: https://ventnorexchange.littleboxoffice.com/events/78037
Venue Address: The Flowersbrook Inn, Flowersbrook, Steephill Road, Ventnor, PO38 1UF
Accessibility Information: No steps to the venue but steep slope to Flowersbrook Field. Contact Ventnor Fringe in advance for assistance.
Wheelchair Spaces: Yes
Accessible Toilets: Accessible Portaloos Standing/Seated: Seated
About the organisers:
Brave Island is a platform set up to provide more creative opportunities to 14-25 year olds living on the Isle of Wight. They offer mentoring, funding, experiences, and training, there’s something new every week and everything is completely free to take part in. Sign up at www.braveisland.uk to get involved.
Platform One is a boutique college based on the Isle of Wight, specialising in high quality education for the creative industries. With over 20 years experience running music qualifications (BTEC, BA Commercial Music, MA Enterprise & Innovation), in 2023 Platform One launched BTEC and Degree programmes in Sustainable Fashion. Follow them on social media here: @platformoneiow
IW Creative Network supports Creatives on the Isle of Wight through professional business support, networking, resources and profiling. A bespoke talent development programme is available for individuals joining the network, aiming to nurture and inspire, allowing creatives to thrive and become more sustainable. Click here to join and follow us on social media here: @iwcreativenetwork
