A bold new cultural initiative is set to capture the complex spirit, heritage, and contemporary reality of Sandown. Supported by Arts Council England, Sandown Scribe will weave together creative writing, fine art photography, and striking visual installations to create a multi-layered “penned portrait” of the town.
Running from June through November 2026, the project is anchored by the appointment of Island-based author Anmarie Bowler as Writer-in-Residence at Boojum and Snark.
A writer rooted on the Island
Anmarie, the founder of the literary zine Brevity and a fervent advocate for flash fiction, will spend the summer immersed in all things Sandownish.
Her residency will culminate in an original work of fiction inspired by Sandown.
Anmarie Bowler, Writer-in-Residence, said,
“Sandown is an imperfect but compelling muse of extraordinary contrasts, a place where history, decay, human spirit and profound natural beauty occupy the same bandwidth.
“Digging into the essence of a place will undoubtedly inspire new short fiction.”
Two photographers, two perspectives
The literary narrative will be mirrored by two distinct photographic commissions. Fine art photographer Zoe Barker will produce evocative, unpeopled landscape portraits of the town, focusing on the narratives held within buildings, objects, and everyday ephemera.
In contrast, photographer Simon Avery will capture the community’s human heartbeat, creating a striking bank of black-and-white portraits of residents. Avery’s close-up style carries a poignant local resonance, paying homage to the building’s heritage as the former Rembrandt House, a historic Sandown photographic studio.
Documenting town’s history through an uncompromising creative lens
Tracy Mikich, Creative Producer at Boojum&Snark, said,
“Over the past two years, Boojum has actively nurtured creative writing talent, and it felt like the natural evolution to develop a project with a dedicated literary core, especially as 2026 is the National Year of Reading.
“Our secret is that we know Sandown is an incredibly inspiring place; we want more people to hear and see that. It’s huge to have support from Arts Council England, and Sandown Scribe will allow us to document this moment in the town’s history through an uncompromising creative lens.”
The high street as canvas
The high street will become a living canvas for the duration of the project. Acclaimed visual artist Teresa Grimaldi will collaborate on a dynamic L-ART (Literature + Art) window installation at Boojum&Snark.
Evolving continuously throughout the residency, the installation will utilise sustainable materials to unfold snippets of the emerging Sandown narrative in the tradition of protest and social-advocacy art.
“I want these stories to shine through”
Teresa Grimaldi said,
“I love the idea of bringing words to the public eye in a visually arresting way. In a town that has a recent history of being overlooked, I want these stories to shine through.
“Using sustainable materials, I will create a dynamic window installation that centres the voices of Sandownians in ways that are fun, intriguing, and meaningful.”
Get involved: the Sandown Jolly
Local residents are invited to become active co-creators of the project. On Saturday 4th July, Boojum&Snark (105 High Street, Sandown PO36 8AF) will host the Sandown Jolly, a community open day.
Residents and those with deep connections to the town are invited to drop in, bring a historic photograph or personal object, and share their memories. A complimentary lunch will be provided.
Boojum&Snark will also be open on Saturdays, 11th, 18th, 25th July between 11am and 4pm to view work in progress and participate in fun story-making activities.
From community to publication
The collective work produced by practitioners and the public will result in a Sandown Scribe publication.
This will be celebrated with an exhibition tour across the town, including showcases at Sandown Library, the Broadway Centre, and a final end-of-project celebration event at GRAFT Studios.
See the Boojum&Snark website for more information.
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