Island showcases community creativity at the British-Irish Council

The ‘Celebrating Creativity Together’ project, shared at the British-Irish Council, highlights how creativity can bring together and support our communities.

The project was created as part of the social inclusion work stream of the British-Irish Council, which met recently to discuss the importance of social enterprises within our communities, and how to reduce social isolation through inclusion.

‘Celebrating Creativity Together’ allowed the Islands creative businesses and individuals to collaborate on a set of community art exhibitions, and look at the social value of creativity and place-based community engagement.

As part of the project a booklet and a video were created to showcase the diverse mediums that make up our creative community – from music to art, to spoken word and video, and to share the different meanings attributed to creativity.

Community projects engage and encourage those who are socially isolated to take part in new events and try different things. In this case it has brought together businesses, charities and individuals to share and support each other.

The Post Office is a key partner in the project. Maxine Cannon, General Manager Isle of Man Stamps & Coins said: ‘We always seek ways to include reference to Manx culture, heritage, creativity, and positivity on a postage stamp. These little visual stories then travel to every part of the globe and even on occasion, to the International Space Station, and into the albums of collectors worldwide. They become a permanent record of the things that make our Island a special and unique place to live, work and visit. It therefore gives us huge pleasure to be a key partner of Celebrating Creativity Together.’

The Department for Enterprise led the initiative, Jane Critchley, Head of Special Projects, Creativity and Social Inclusion said: 'As the representative for the Isle of Man on both the Social Inclusion and the Creative Industries work streams of the British Irish Council, I am proud that we have worked together across boundaries. This project brings alignment to cross-cutting policy areas and shows what can be achieved with a can-do attitude, community ownership and clarity of focus.’

Minister for Enterprise, Hon Lawrie Hooper MHK, represented the Isle of Man Government at Ministerial Meeting said: ‘We are very lucky to have such a talented and welcoming creative community, and it was great to be able to showcase how these industries can bring a people together. As part of the work to tackle social inclusion I hope that we will continue to look at how vibrant and imaginative projects can reach those who are socially isolated.’

During the event Minister Hooper also thanked Crossroads for Carers Isle of Man, who represented the Island at several events in recent years, including stakeholder events in Birmingham and Dublin – as the Islands biggest and longest established Social Enterprise aligned to a charity.