kevster Posted November 21, 2021 Share Posted November 21, 2021 From todays Sunday Telegraph The Isle of Man is known by most as the location for TT racing, but officials are now seeking to use art to make the island a “cool” destination for hipster professionals. The 30-mile-long Crown Dependency is hoping to create a “Shoreditch vibe” in the Irish Sea by commissioning murals and other artworks more often seen in the modish quarter of London. The Isle of Man Arts Council (IMAC) has already invested 35 per cent of its budget this year on public works to create a culture of 21st-century “cool”, as the Manx government seeks to tempt tech-savvy young workforce to the island. “It’s about showing what the Isle of Man is like, that it’s a cool place to be,” Martyn Cain, of the IMAC, told the Telegraph. IMAC colleague and artist Olivia Savage explained: “It’s making it vibrant, fun, and appealing. It’s a Shoreditch style, it’s about finding a very Camden or Shoreditch vibe. “It’s about making it more attractive to younger people. There is a big push to keep younger people here, showing them that they don’t need to leave to pursue a career.” Since 2019 the IMAC council has spent £229,800 on visual arts, and the proportion of its total annual arts budget that has been invested in public projects like murals has risen from 18 per cent of the budget in 2020/21 to 35 per cent so far this financial year. The work follows the establishment in 2019 of Locate Isle of Man, a body tasked by the government with increasing the economically active population of the island which is home to just 85,000 people, 21 per cent of whom are over-65. The focus of this work has been on targeting younger people with skills in growing digital industries like online gaming. Local officials have identified this demographic, whether born on the Isle of man or “off island”, as having different lifestyle priorities compared to previous generations, and are increasingly keen to offer what young professionals want. Beth Cannan, a Commissioner (town councillor) in Castletown, said: “It’s time for Isle of Man hipsters. “People have thought of us as a cosy, slippers and pipe destination, and that needs to change. People want different things now. And things are changing.” As part of a “shift” in planning, Castletown, the former capital of the island, now boasts murals on its police station and bold street art overlooking the town’s vegan-friendly pizzeria. Walls in Douglas and Port St Mary have been daubed with brightly coloured murals, shelters on the promenade in Ramsey have been newly decorated, and the town’s public toilets have been earmarked for an artistic makeover as part of a raft of comissons on the island. Planning rules stipulate that design must be in keeping with the local area, with murals containing nods to TT racing and fishing, and officials have said while the arts scene is about reframing the island’s image, it must also show off what is unique about Man. Mr Cain said: “We have people going off island, perhaps thinking there is nothing for them here, but industries are changing, digital skills are becoming very important here. “I think everyone in Government is really looking at attracting people to come, and making it attractive to retain people. “The Isle of Man has always been the sort of downplayed island, with maybe Guernsey and Jersey being a bit more vocal about advertising what they were about. “We’ve been a bit more underrated here, which is a very Manx thing, but I think we need to be doing more of that, and telling people about what’s on offer here.” Alongside top-down funding, officials have said that the Isle of Man is becoming like an offshore St Ives, the Cornish town which became a hub for artists like Barbara Hepworth. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hissingsid Posted November 21, 2021 Share Posted November 21, 2021 Beth Cannan, a Commissioner from Castletown has spoken so it must be right. Where does the Arts Council get their money from ? Nearly £300,000 in two years is a bit over the top. Perhaps in the scheme of fair play the state of our Health Services could be mentioned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramseyboi Posted November 21, 2021 Share Posted November 21, 2021 Nice idea, we should be a destination that attracts top young talent. As always the execution is poor. Concentrate on the basics like making the place clean and tidy first, then worry about the nice to haves like street art. Next time you are out and about take a look at the roadsigns, the pavements, the street furniture. All scruffy. Even the bins are all old and knackered. It is the same as that unfinished DIY job at home. You get used to it and don't notice while a fresh pair of eyes sees it straight away. Bringing people here on business is embarrassing and it starts at the Sea Terminal or Airport, both of which are under government control and easy to keep looking fresh. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleepyJoe Posted November 21, 2021 Share Posted November 21, 2021 This has to be part of the CanCom declaration of the IOM as 'vibrant' & a key aspect of the CanCom plan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleepyJoe Posted November 21, 2021 Share Posted November 21, 2021 'Secure, vibrant, sustainable Isle of Man' 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Blonde Posted November 21, 2021 Share Posted November 21, 2021 43 minutes ago, kevster said: From todays Sunday Telegraph The Isle of Man is known by most as the location for TT racing, but officials are now seeking to use art to make the island a “cool” destination for hipster professionals. The 30-mile-long Crown Dependency is hoping to create a “Shoreditch vibe” in the Irish Sea by commissioning murals and other artworks more often seen in the modish quarter of London. The Isle of Man Arts Council (IMAC) has already invested 35 per cent of its budget this year on public works to create a culture of 21st-century “cool”, as the Manx government seeks to tempt tech-savvy young workforce to the island. “It’s about showing what the Isle of Man is like, that it’s a cool place to be,” Martyn Cain, of the IMAC, told the Telegraph. IMAC colleague and artist Olivia Savage explained: “It’s making it vibrant, fun, and appealing. It’s a Shoreditch style, it’s about finding a very Camden or Shoreditch vibe. “It’s about making it more attractive to younger people. There is a big push to keep younger people here, showing them that they don’t need to leave to pursue a career.” Since 2019 the IMAC council has spent £229,800 on visual arts, and the proportion of its total annual arts budget that has been invested in public projects like murals has risen from 18 per cent of the budget in 2020/21 to 35 per cent so far this financial year. The work follows the establishment in 2019 of Locate Isle of Man, a body tasked by the government with increasing the economically active population of the island which is home to just 85,000 people, 21 per cent of whom are over-65. The focus of this work has been on targeting younger people with skills in growing digital industries like online gaming. Local officials have identified this demographic, whether born on the Isle of man or “off island”, as having different lifestyle priorities compared to previous generations, and are increasingly keen to offer what young professionals want. Beth Cannan, a Commissioner (town councillor) in Castletown, said: “It’s time for Isle of Man hipsters. “People have thought of us as a cosy, slippers and pipe destination, and that needs to change. People want different things now. And things are changing.” As part of a “shift” in planning, Castletown, the former capital of the island, now boasts murals on its police station and bold street art overlooking the town’s vegan-friendly pizzeria. Walls in Douglas and Port St Mary have been daubed with brightly coloured murals, shelters on the promenade in Ramsey have been newly decorated, and the town’s public toilets have been earmarked for an artistic makeover as part of a raft of comissons on the island. Planning rules stipulate that design must be in keeping with the local area, with murals containing nods to TT racing and fishing, and officials have said while the arts scene is about reframing the island’s image, it must also show off what is unique about Man. Mr Cain said: “We have people going off island, perhaps thinking there is nothing for them here, but industries are changing, digital skills are becoming very important here. “I think everyone in Government is really looking at attracting people to come, and making it attractive to retain people. “The Isle of Man has always been the sort of downplayed island, with maybe Guernsey and Jersey being a bit more vocal about advertising what they were about. “We’ve been a bit more underrated here, which is a very Manx thing, but I think we need to be doing more of that, and telling people about what’s on offer here.” Alongside top-down funding, officials have said that the Isle of Man is becoming like an offshore St Ives, the Cornish town which became a hub for artists like Barbara Hepworth. You can put lipstick on a pig... but it's still a pig. 4 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2112 Posted November 21, 2021 Share Posted November 21, 2021 45 minutes ago, kevster said: From todays Sunday Telegraph The Isle of Man is known by most as the location for TT racing, but officials are now seeking to use art to make the island a “cool” destination for hipster professionals. The 30-mile-long Crown Dependency is hoping to create a “Shoreditch vibe” in the Irish Sea by commissioning murals and other artworks more often seen in the modish quarter of London. The Isle of Man Arts Council (IMAC) has already invested 35 per cent of its budget this year on public works to create a culture of 21st-century “cool”, as the Manx government seeks to tempt tech-savvy young workforce to the island. “It’s about showing what the Isle of Man is like, that it’s a cool place to be,” Martyn Cain, of the IMAC, told the Telegraph. IMAC colleague and artist Olivia Savage explained: “It’s making it vibrant, fun, and appealing. It’s a Shoreditch style, it’s about finding a very Camden or Shoreditch vibe. “It’s about making it more attractive to younger people. There is a big push to keep younger people here, showing them that they don’t need to leave to pursue a career.” Since 2019 the IMAC council has spent £229,800 on visual arts, and the proportion of its total annual arts budget that has been invested in public projects like murals has risen from 18 per cent of the budget in 2020/21 to 35 per cent so far this financial year. The work follows the establishment in 2019 of Locate Isle of Man, a body tasked by the government with increasing the economically active population of the island which is home to just 85,000 people, 21 per cent of whom are over-65. The focus of this work has been on targeting younger people with skills in growing digital industries like online gaming. Local officials have identified this demographic, whether born on the Isle of man or “off island”, as having different lifestyle priorities compared to previous generations, and are increasingly keen to offer what young professionals want. Beth Cannan, a Commissioner (town councillor) in Castletown, said: “It’s time for Isle of Man hipsters. “People have thought of us as a cosy, slippers and pipe destination, and that needs to change. People want different things now. And things are changing.” As part of a “shift” in planning, Castletown, the former capital of the island, now boasts murals on its police station and bold street art overlooking the town’s vegan-friendly pizzeria. Walls in Douglas and Port St Mary have been daubed with brightly coloured murals, shelters on the promenade in Ramsey have been newly decorated, and the town’s public toilets have been earmarked for an artistic makeover as part of a raft of comissons on the island. Planning rules stipulate that design must be in keeping with the local area, with murals containing nods to TT racing and fishing, and officials have said while the arts scene is about reframing the island’s image, it must also show off what is unique about Man. Mr Cain said: “We have people going off island, perhaps thinking there is nothing for them here, but industries are changing, digital skills are becoming very important here. “I think everyone in Government is really looking at attracting people to come, and making it attractive to retain people. “The Isle of Man has always been the sort of downplayed island, with maybe Guernsey and Jersey being a bit more vocal about advertising what they were about. “We’ve been a bit more underrated here, which is a very Manx thing, but I think we need to be doing more of that, and telling people about what’s on offer here.” Alongside top-down funding, officials have said that the Isle of Man is becoming like an offshore St Ives, the Cornish town which became a hub for artists like Barbara Hepworth. FFS don’t we have enough pressing issues and I’m not talking climate change either. The Isle of Man has always been the sort of downplayed island ………………… certain parts are derelict, squalid, been left to decay with nothing being built upon. In short it’s a dirty stinking shithole. Guernsey and Jersey have civic pride and take care of their surroundings. We like to ape others and squander taxpayers money. Mind you these London types may like the island with its squalor and seediness. Ripe for Gentrification and Yuppification. All that’s needed is the Bistro Kids ……….. and Wine Bars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2112 Posted November 21, 2021 Share Posted November 21, 2021 7 minutes ago, offshoremanxman said: What are we paying for visual arts for? Surely an artist wants the publicity of having their work publicly acknowledged so why are we paying on top? Even Banksy doesn’t charge the local council for painting its walls. I still can’t walk past that one on the house gable at Princes Street / Westmoreland Road and thinking “Thats s**t” every time I walk past. I really hope nobody paid for that. Probably the GMP or Douglas Corpy Painters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2112 Posted November 21, 2021 Share Posted November 21, 2021 44 minutes ago, Ramseyboi said: Nice idea, we should be a destination that attracts top young talent. As always the execution is poor. Concentrate on the basics like making the place clean and tidy first, then worry about the nice to haves like street art. Next time you are out and about take a look at the roadsigns, the pavements, the street furniture. All scruffy. Even the bins are all old and knackered. It is the same as that unfinished DIY job at home. You get used to it and don't notice while a fresh pair of eyes sees it straight away. Bringing people here on business is embarrassing and it starts at the Sea Terminal or Airport, both of which are under government control and easy to keep looking fresh. Moorehouse is apparently asking questions about the state of the Sea Terminal, shabby, decrepit and looks like a relic to the past. Sadly it’s a first thing tourists see when getting off the boat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pongo Posted November 21, 2021 Share Posted November 21, 2021 Oh FFS how embarrassing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheldon Posted November 21, 2021 Share Posted November 21, 2021 9 minutes ago, 2112 said: The Isle of Man has always been the sort of downplayed island … certain parts are derelict, squalid, been left to decay with nothing being built upon. In short it’s a dirty stinking shithole. Maybe we're missing an even simpler trick here? Slum Tourism "In London people used to visit slum areas such as Whitechapel or Shoreditch to observe the quality of life which the inhabitants were enjoying." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cissolt Posted November 21, 2021 Share Posted November 21, 2021 Keeping the young people we currently have is a massive challenge. Unable to afford to buy a property, rental property prices are through the roof ( pardon the pun ) and our health service is an appalling state. Plenty of jobs here but no incentives for young people to stay. Did any of our political candidates try and engage with the younger demographic? The apathy shown by young voters would suggest not 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Blonde Posted November 21, 2021 Share Posted November 21, 2021 (edited) Maybe this is more worrying that it seems. As an island we have critical shortages of: Doctors GPs Dentists Paramedics Nurses Teachers Police The greatest thinkers in the CS take a look at the biggest challenges facing the island and what do they come up with? "Let's attract hipster artists" FFS. "I'm sorry there's a 4 year waiting list for your operation Mr Quayle, but I'm sure you'll appreciate all the amazing hipster art". Edited November 21, 2021 by James Blonde 5 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Power Posted November 21, 2021 Share Posted November 21, 2021 1 hour ago, kevster said: and the town’s public toilets have been earmarked for an artistic makeover as part of a raft of comissons on the island. I've noticed the 'murals' in many of our public toilets, usually asking to meet there for some reason? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quilp Posted November 21, 2021 Share Posted November 21, 2021 Traditional Manx cottage. 1 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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