With its stunning landscapes, enchanting coastlines, and a tranquil pace of life that provides the perfect backdrop for the imagination to flourish, it’s no wonder the Isle of Wight has become a hub for the artistically inclined.
Homegrown talent ranges from painters and sculptors to musicians and writers, all finding their muses in the Island’s natural beauty and its rich tapestry of historical and cultural influences.
Creative Island
So it’s no surprise to hear that its Anneka Rice’s favourite place on earth. Herself an accomplished and enthusiastic painter, she says the landscape and atmosphere of the Island have inspired her art for as long as she can remember.
On 4th January, Anneka will be hosting Creative Island: an episode of BBC Radio Four’s Open Country, where she meets a range creatives to hear what it is about the Island that inspires them.
Anneka sets out to discover why the Island is one of the most creative places in the UK, famous for attracting poets, painters and photographers to its shores.
From legendary names such as Tennyson, Keats and Dickens, to modern-day local artists, Anneka considers whether it’s the sense of remoteness from the mainland, the ever-changing coastal landscape, the sense of community or something less tangible that inspires so much creativity.
Starring roles
The episode features the likes of Gavin Stride from Creative Island, Binnel Studios’ resident artist, Celia Wilkinson, Gioia Mingella Giddens, Gerry Price – the coastal gardener and glass artist, Brian Marriott.
The episode will be aired at 3pm on Thursday 4th January on BBC Radio Four.
If you miss the broadcast, you’ll be able to listen again on BBC Sounds.
