Ben Osborne
Island Voices (2007)
Island Voices was a community-based Artsreach project in Dorset; it was part of the Tide and Time initiative exploring the theme of change in coastal communities throughout the south-west of England.
Island Voices was led by Paul Hyland, travel author, biographer and poet, Sammy Hurden, musician, songwriter and voice workshop leader, and Nicola Richardson, writer.
Island Voices began aboard the prison ship, HMP The Weare, and HMP Young Offenders Insitution, Portland. It continued with writing and singing workshops at Reforne and Fortuneswell on Portland and at Langton Matravers in Purbeck. The project was made possible by funding from Arts Council England South West, the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation via the National Rural Touring Forum, Weymouth and Portland Borough Council and the South West Foundation.
The biggest thanks are due to the writers, singers and musicians who created fiction and non-fiction, poetry and lyrics (to music by Sammy Hurden) and/or performed the work at concerts in St George’s Church and above Church Ope Cove on Portland, at Durlston Country Park and Langton Matravers Village Hall in Purbeck, and at the Phoenix Theatre, Exeter.
The legacies of Island Voices are a publication of the writing (£5) and CDs of the Portland and Purbeck performances (£10 each) which are available from Artsreach, and a Portland Island Voices choir which is going from strength to strength with new songs and invitations to perform.
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