We are thrilled to announce the successful recipients of the 2025 IW Creative Network Bursary. After a highly competitive selection process, three creatives have been awarded bursaries to support and develop their practice. Alongside financial support, each recipient will benefit from tailored mentoring, providing valuable guidance to help them achieve their artistic and professional goals. These individuals and groups were chosen for their innovative ideas and their potential to make an impact on both the local and wider creative community.
Hillard Morley (Group)
Hillard Morley, alongside Anmarie Bowler, Kat Burton, and Rob Thompson, is forming a theatre company to adapt a series of flash stories for the stage, focusing on ambitious roles, particularly for women. They plan to debut a full performance in spring 2026, following several scratch performances at venues like Southampton MAST and Boojum & Snark, Sandown. The bursary will support rehearsal space, props, and travel to the Royal Court, as well as the City Lit online course Jump Start Your Play. The team is committed to sharing their learnings from these events through feedback sessions and workshops. In addition, they’ll invest in books on adapting texts for the stage and will present a scratch performance at Boojum & Snark. Mentoring will help refine their promotional strategies and provide valuable script feedback from theatre professionals. With this support, they aim to create an innovative theatre experience for Isle of Wight audiences that could eventually transfer to mainland theatres and festivals.
Check out and follow their work here:
www.pianosmashers.co.uk
https://brevityisland.home.blog
https://bookguild.co.uk/our-authors/hillard-morley
www.facebook.com/hillardmorleyauthor
Jasmine Metta Truman
Jasmine is a photographer and visual artist exploring our place in the natural world, she is currently working on a new project that focuses on the human physical and spiritual connection to water. This bursary will enable her to purchase a macro lens, travel to sacred water sites in Cornwall, and cover exhibition-related costs, including printing and framing. The project will culminate in a public exhibition and a Q&A where she will share her creative process and research on environmental activism. Alongside the financial support, mentoring will assist Jasmine in presenting her personal work to the public and managing her project. The guidance will help her transition from formal education to a full creative practice, ensuring that she is able to effectively engage a wide range of audiences and communicate the importance of her work.
Check out and follow Jasmine’s work here:
www.jasminemettatruman.myportfolio.com
@jasminemettatruman
Sue Paraskeva
Sue is a renowned porcelain artist and potter whose creative practice has evolved over time to include installations and live performances. Due to health challenges, Sue is now exploring new ways of working, including playful mark-making with candle flames on paper and canvas, documenting her creative experiments through photo and video. Sue also hopes to stage a fire-based performance at the Ventnor Fringe in 2026, incorporating her distinctive approach to art in an outdoor, safe fire space. The bursary will support her creative exploration, and mentoring will help Sue adapt her practice to her current circumstances while planning for future projects. This support will assist her in identifying long-term funding opportunities and ensuring her artistic practice continues to grow in innovative and exciting ways.
Check out and follow Sue’s work here:
www.sueparaskeva.co.uk
@sueparaskeva
Each of the recipients brings a distinctive approach to their creative practice, and their bursary-supported projects will add to the Island’s growing cultural landscape. With mentoring and funding in place, they’re well-positioned to explore new directions, build connections, and share their work more widely.
Stay tuned for updates on their progress, upcoming exhibitions, and events.
