Thursday 29th May 2025 | 6 - 8pm
Building 41, Cowes FREE (light drinks & nibbles provided)

Join the IW Creative Network and last year’s bursary recipients for an evening of inspiration, insight, and peer connection. We’ll officially launch our 2025 £1,000 bursary scheme (three awards available, plus mentoring support) and hear directly from Emma Goss, Nathan Holt and Holly Maslen on how the 2024 bursary helped them expand their practice, develop new skills, and deliver public events.

To find out about this year's bursary opportunity for individual IW Creative Network members, please click here.

Whether you’re curious about applying as an individual or as a group, this is your chance to:

Discover what makes a successful bursary proposal (innovative, realistic, deliverable)
Learn how past recipients turned funding into real-world projects and workshops
Network with fellow creatives and get connected

All individual IW Creative Network members are eligible to apply for the next round of £1,000 bursaries which launches on 29th May. Please click here to find out more about our 2025 bursary opportunity.

If you’ve ever wondered how seed funding and mentoring could turbo-charge your art, design, performance or creative enterprise, then don’t miss this event.

Venue address: Building 41, Newport Road, Cowes, Isle of Wight PO31 8BX

Please remember to factor in some extra travelling time in/out of Cowes due to the temporary one-way system on the Cowes to Newport Road!

Building 41 is a modern, fully accessible venue with excellent transport links with a bus stop located just outside on Newport Road, between Ascensos and BAE Systems, just outside of Cowes in Northwood.

Parking & transport: Parking is limited but there will be some spaces available on site. There is also parking available at Somerton Park & Ride (Newport Road, Cowes, PO31 7ER) which is a 5 minute walk away, at £2 per day. We also suggest car sharing where possible – which you can arrange through posting a notice on the IW Creative Network Facebook Forum to other members of the network.

Venue accessibility: The venue offers dedicated parking for those with health conditions or impairments, a disabled lift, wide doorways, and accessible toilets. Please email any access requirements to georgia@iwcreativenetwork.com

IW Creative Network is delivered through Creative Island – the cultural development agency for the Isle of Wight. We help Creatives on the Isle of Wight develop sustainable careers in the creative industries through business support, networking, resources and profiling. A bespoke talent development programme is available for individuals and organisations joining the network, which aims nurture and inspire, allowing Creatives to thrive and become more sustainable.

Explore more and join the network here and follow us here: Instagram & Facebook.

IW Creative Network Bursary Launch Event & Networking