A unique exhibition to set out a series of visions and ideals on how the island could look in the future is set to open for one day later this month.

’Island Utopias’ will take place on at the Erin Arts Centre Friday, September 25, from 7pm.

The exhibition will feature the work of 12 Manx artists, who created pieces of art work based on interviews carried out over the past few months about people’s own visions and ideas for how they would like the island to be in a post-Covid-19 landscape.

The evening will also feature an hour-long film which will show the artists’ own creative process as they create their pieces of work, interspersed with scenes of the island, taken during the lockdown period.

The project has been conceived and curated by Sarah Mercer, who has been working with Culture Vannin on ’Mann’s Green Footsteps’, a variety of culture and biodiversity projects over the past year .

Sarah wanted to capture a feel about how people view the island in the current times of the corona virus pandemic and climate change and how they would use their experiences to shape the island in the future.

’During May this year , I spoke to so many people who shared a lot of ideas and incredibly optimistic visions about how they would like the island to look in the future.

’I took these conversations to a team of 12 Manx artists, some of whom are well-known, like Anna Clucas and Karolina Powlowska and others who are studying art at university, and they were able to interpret them into pieces of art work, which we will exhibit at the Erin Arts Centre, later this month.

’We will also be showing the film of the artists creating their work and showing their thought process as they go along.

’They filmed themselves and I edited the footage together.

’This night will be the only time the exhibition will be on display and also the only time the film will be shown as a whole, and I am excited to see the projects come together.’

Tickets for the ’Island Utopias’ exhibition are £5, available from the Erin Arts Centre box office, on 832662, or from eventbrite.co.uk

l More information on both the exhibition and the ’Island Utopias’ project can be found at culturevannin.im