This year marks the end of a two-year Arts Council England project, GROW which has taken performance and making to new places in the town and sought to grow talent and creativity. As we all know, it’s best to initiate change at a point of strength and so we would like to invite you to help mould the future of Ryde Arts. Continue reading Ryde Arts – which way now?
We’ve had such big demand for our printed programmes they’ve pretty much run out – we’ll do some more next year but meanwhile you can see all our events on our calendar or download a PDF of the programme to keep on your phone right here.
Find GROW at the end of Walk the Wight and join in our giant finger-painting creation!
At the Needles Landmark Attraction, from 10am on Sunday 14 May.
By Carol Jaye: Chair of Ryde Arts Festival
It all began when my old wooden greenhouse could not be trusted to stand up to any more gales.
Now, I am a thrifty gardener and there were 42 sound glass sheets holding up the wooden frame. Off I went to see Ryde’s Allotment Officer, Terry Clarkson and asked if he knew anyone who would like to have the glass. This was how I met George who has a plot on the Quarry Road allotment, in my home town Ryde, in the Isle of Wight. A few days later George arrived with a mate and while they were loading the glass they told me how they were building a shed for the children at Oakfield Primary School who were learning about WW2 and the Dig for Victory campaign. Continue reading GROWRYDE: Ryde Arts Festival 2017
Shakespeare & Religion – A Shakespeare 400 Celebration
Shakespeare lived through the most turbulent times in English religion – the Reformation, Puritans & Catholics, the Gunpowder Plot.
Yet no play of his is about religion – OR IS IT?
Join Edmund Matyjaszek, ex Director of the Poetry Society and Ellen Weeks Speech & Drama Specialist for a celebration of Shakespeare’s verse.
A feast of poetry from his plays and his sonnets PLUS launch of “The Rosary: England’s Prayer” published in association with the Catholic History Society.
St Mary’s Church, High Street, Ryde 7pm Thursday June 30th refreshments available
ENTRY FREE
A Ryde Arts Festival Event for Shakespeare 400
(he died 1616 – 400 years ago this year)
Jon Thorne, Loren Thorn, and Jim Thorn
Friday 1 July 7.30pm-10.00pm (doors open at 7.15pm)
Entrance £5.00; under 18s free.
Five of the Island’s best known jazz musicians will be performing – Nick Page (guitar and vocals), Loren Thorn (vocals), Jim Thorn (piano), Jon Thorne (double bass), and Ken Black (drums).
This concert takes place in the wonderful surroundings of St Michael and All Angels Church in Swanmore, PO33 3EH, near Haylands. The church is situated at the corner of St Michaels Avenue and Wray Street and can be reached via Upton Road, Ashey Road, or Bettesworth Road.
Ryde Arts Festival announces that we are the beneficiaries of an Arts Council grant to run our next major project called GROW.
The funding will cover an artist in a Ryde allotment shed working with diverse community groups and with musicians, composers, and poets all contributing towards nearly two years of exciting projects to explore, produce, and exhibit across a wide spectrum of the arts a celebration of growing, both practically and metaphorically.
Each year at the end of June 2016 and 2017 the Arts Festival will curate, exhibit and perform work generated in the preceding months to illustrate their journey of exploration.
Updates will be appearing here in coming weeks.
