When you join the Network you’ll get the opportunity to come along to regular Networking events and meet-ups at diverse, creative and cultural spaces around the Island. Aimed to be relaxed and informal, with some guided chit-chat on what we can do collectively as a creative community, to help foster more exciting cultural opportunities for all.
All networking events and away days off the Island must be booked via the Eventbrite links which will come available in the News & Opps section of the website. Look out for these events via our Instagram & Facebook pages, and monthly e-newsletter – double check your Spam/Junk folder for our newsletters and mark as ‘safe’.
Please note, spaces for these events fill up fast – so make sure to book your place!
Networking Events & Away Days in 2025…
IW Creative Network Bursary Launch Event & Networking: Thursday 29 May 6 – 8pm
Building 41, Cowes FREE (light drinks & nibbles provided)
Join the IW Creative Network and last year’s bursary recipients for an evening of inspiration, insight, and peer connection. We’ll officially launch our 2025 £1,000 bursary scheme (three awards available, plus mentoring support) and hear from last year’s recipients Emma Goss, Nathan Holt and Holly Maslen on how the 2024 bursary helped them expand their practice, develop new skills, and deliver public events.
To find out about this year’s bursary opportunity for individual IW Creative Network members, please click here.
Whether you’re curious about applying as an individual or as a group, this is your chance to:
- Discover what makes a successful bursary proposal (innovative, realistic, deliverable)
- Learn how past recipients turned funding into real-world projects and workshops
- Network with fellow creatives and get connected
All individual IW Creative Network members are eligible to apply for the next round of £1,000 bursaries which launches on 29th May. Please click here to find out more about our 2025 bursary opportunity.
If you’ve ever wondered how seed funding and mentoring could turbo-charge your art, design, performance or creative enterprise, then don’t miss this event.
For more info & to book your free place, click here!
Venue address: Building 41, Newport Road, Cowes, Isle of Wight PO31 8BX
Southampton Research Away Day: Friday 11 July
A behind-the-scenes research trip for IW Creative Network members
Join us on a special away day to Southampton for a unique mix of heritage, contemporary art, and creative insight. This free, curated day will include exclusive access to cultural venues, conversations with curators and creatives, and time to explore the city – all with Red Jet travel provided.
- 1.30–2.30pm – Southampton City Art Gallery: Behind-the-scenes tour and collection highlights.
- 3.00–4.00pm – John Hansard Gallery: Visit their bold summer exhibition New World Order exploring identity, resistance, and place.
- 6.00–8.00pm – God’s House Tower: Celebrate 20 years of The Arches Studios with a special exhibition and chance to reconnect with artists from our visit in 2024.
Free time built in for food and city wandering.
Members CLICK HERE to find out more and book your free place
Artists Breakfast at Ventnor Fringe: Wednesday 23 July, 11am – 12pm
Ingrams Yard, Ventnor
Join us during Ventnor Fringe for a relaxed Artists Breakfast, hosted by us – the IW Creative Network. Held at Ingrams Yard – right in the heart of the festival – this informal meetup offers a chance for performers, creatives and curious attendees to connect, chat, and share ideas. Whether you’re part of the Fringe or just keen to meet others in the creative community, all are welcome.
Enjoy free pastries and grab a coffee from the brilliant Sheer Pink while getting to know fellow artists. Our IW Creative Network lead, Georgia Newman will be hosting the event, gently guiding the conversation and will share more about artist development opportunities through the IW Creative Network.
No booking required – just drop in!
Portsmouth Away Day: Thursday 25 September
We Connect event with Portsmouth Creates
Join us on a special away day to Portsmouth for the We Connect Conference, which focuses on Inclusion in the cultural sector. Hosted at Portsmouth Guildhall, this is the perfect opportunity for creatives to gain insight and discuss all things inclusive within the creative industries.
There will also be some time built in for food and city wandering – with Fast Cat ferry travel provided.
Full itinerary & booking info coming soon – watch this space!
Past 2025 Networking Events & Away Days:
Scratch Night – with Cowes Fringe 2025: Thursday 22 May 7–10pm, MooCow, Cowes
Kick off the Cowes Fringe early with ‘Scratch Night’ – a lively evening of short, sharp shows and punchy works-in-progress at MooCow.
Presented in partnership with IW Creative Network and Mayflower Studios, Scratch Night showcases brand-new theatre, comedy, spoken word, and performance pieces created by local artists. From experimental theatre to musical comedy, each act shares a glimpse of new work in development.
This is a unique opportunity to see early-stage material brought to life in front of a live audience. Expect a relaxed, supportive atmosphere where you’re invited to enjoy, respond and help shape what these works might become.
Hosted by:
Krysia Mansfield – Performer, singer, and actor with credits from the Royal Opera House to Netflix, Krysia brings her trademark warmth and wit to hosting duties, plus a surprise performance of her own.
Featuring:
Keeper – A sharp, funny and moving performance about life as a housekeeper navigating domestic chaos and second-home culture. Created by Anmarie Bowler, adapted and brought to life on stage by by Rob Thompson, Hillard Morley, and Kat Burton.
Jean G-Owen – Performing Wyuen Pyne – a lyrical, history-rich spoken word performance reclaiming lost and silenced women’s voices through folklore, testimony, and rhythm.
HbA1c – A darkly playful cabaret-style piece from Krysia Mansfield, exploring life with type 1 diabetes through song, story and satire.
CHUFFLE – A live, abstract performance by Teresa Grimaldi and Krysia Mansfield, combining overhead projection, sound, and storytelling to reimagine a tiger’s journey to find home.
Tim Cooper – Slam-winning poet and host of VEX SpeakEasy, Tim shares two powerful new pieces blending stand-up, storytelling and poetry – tackling sex, art, family and loss with honesty and humour.
To find out more & book your FREE ticket, click here!
Venue Address: Moocow, 55 Cross Street, Cowes, IW, PO31 7TA. (Please remember to factor some extra travelling time in/out of Cowes due to the temporary one-way system on the Cowes to Newport Road.)
CREATIVE’S NETWORKING EVENT: Thursday 24 April 2025, 6-8pm at Building 41, Cowes
Join us for a free networking event in collaboration with Vectis Hires. Discover how their end-to-end production services – from design, supply, and installation of cutting-edge lighting, audio, staging, screens, and special effects – can elevate your creative projects for both indoor and outdoor events.
This is a fantastic opportunity to not only learn about the innovative tech solutions available for creatives on the Isle of Wight, but also to network with fellow creatives and explore what the IW Creative Network has planned for the rest of the year. Enjoy drinks and nibbles while connecting, sharing ideas, and discovering how to bring your creative visions to life.
CLICK HERE to find out more and book your place
FUTURE-PROOF YOUR CREATIVITY: Combine artistry and technology to realise your true worth and shape the future of your creative business. Thursday 6 March 2025, 9.30am-4pm at Building 41, Cowes
IW Creative Network and Go For Growth are joining forces and running an exciting one-day training and networking event for creative professionals. Designed to help artists, designers, writers, and creative entrepreneurs on the Isle of Wight, turn their passion into a sustainable and financially rewarding business, this event will explore the true value of creative work and how to align artistic vision with business strategy.
With expert-led sessions from leading AI consultant Jocelyn Burnham, award-winning voice actor Emma Topping, and business strategist Ross Findon, attendees will discover how to leverage AI, redefine their value, and build a business model that works.
This interactive, hands-on event is an essential opportunity for creatives looking to develop, grow, and thrive. Book your spot now and take the next step in your creative career!
FREE tickets available for IWCN members, £5 for Go For Growth members and £25 for non members. Includes a light lunch and coffee / refreshments.
This event, hosted in collaboration with the IW Creative Network and Go for Growth. Go For Growth, is a programme to support micro businesses and small businesses thrive through online, in-person, 121 programmes and mentoring.
CLICK HERE to find out more and book your place
IW WRITERS JAMBOREE: Monday 3 February 2025, 6-10pm at Island Sailing Club, Cowes
In collaboration with Medina Bookshop, join us for the first-ever IW Writers Jamboree at the Island Sailing Club. This event is a great chance for local writers to connect, share ideas, and explore the Island’s creative opportunities. With speakers from Medina Bookshop, Artfulscribe, Naked Figleaf Press, Brevity, and more, plus the launch of competitions like the IW Book Awards, it’s an evening not to miss! Tickets are £5, including fish and chips (or a vegan option), but free for IW Creative Network members!
FIND OUT MORE & BOOK YOUR TICKETS HERE
