Drumming workshops, 100-million-year-old fossils and Indonesian dancing were on display at an Isle of Wight hotel today (Wednesday, 21st October 2026) as part of a competition entry to win £3 million for the town.
The Trouville on Sandown Esplanade played host to an eclectic mix of family entertainment and activities ahead of Sandown’s final bid to become the UK’s first Town of Culture, after being shortlisted from almost 400 applications across the country.
The competition and the £3 million prize
There are 14 other settlements in the running ahead of the government’s November 30 deadline, including Lerwick in Shetland, Port Talbot in Wales and Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.
The competition’s winner will receive a £3 million grant from the government to deliver a cultural programme in 2028 of around six months.
Performance and discovery on show
Tracy Mikich, of the Sandown Tide Turners bid team, said today’s Sandown Town of Culture event showcases multiple elements of the town’s pitch, from science and discovery to performance arts, dance and creative writing.
Sharon George, creative director of the bid and the Shademakers UK carnival arts company, said,
“The buzz in here is lovely. We’ve just had Tiger Feet, so we’ve got loads of little toddlers running around and dancing, we’ve got people in costumes, you can go out and have a walk…you can come to Sandown and see the amazing landscape we’ve got.”
Where arts meet science
Paul Coueslant, another team representative, highlighted ecologist Ian Boyd’s “fantastic” pop-up natural history museum. He said,
“Any child, who doesn’t need to be keen on science, can get hands-on with microscopes, animal skulls, the scientific element that’s all part of our bid.
“It’s probably what makes us different – this combination of arts and science.”
Culture and pride in place
Playwright Joe Plumb, who directs Shademakers, said the organisation believes it can help regenerate and support Sandown through culture.
“It’s a really special moment for the whole of the Isle of Wight.
“You get loads of rumblings of people on social media…‘why is Sandown going to do that, there’s nothing going on there?’
“This is exactly why a town like this can be shaped. Culture doesn’t solve all the problem, but the feeling of pride that you have in the place because of the cultural activity means more people will come here…shift people’s whole perceptions of what happens here.”
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
