Isle of Wight creatives are being invited to apply for a commission of up to four thousand pounds.

It's to work with young people, to transform neglected and hidden spaces in Ryde.

The project, aimed primarily at 12 to 14-year-olds, will be supported by Network Ryde and aims to empower young people to make a difference to their town through creativity, and have their voices heard.

Young people will choose the artist they work with at a ‘Dragons’ Den’ event on Monday, February 27.

The project will be launched with a public art activity day for young people on Tuesday, February 14, based at Monkton Arts, where they will use creativity to explore some of the unused and forgotten spaces in Ryde and think about how they would like to transform one or more of these spaces.  

During March and April they will work with their chosen artist to create a place-changing artwork that encourages young people to get outside, engage with the IW Biosphere and get more physically active.

The Ryde project will be the fourth place-changing commission to be launched on the Isle of Wight as part of the Artswork-funded Supporting Young Minds programme.

The programme’s manager, Peta Rainford from Independent Arts, said: "We are so excited that we have been able to extend the Supporting Young Minds programme to Ryde and give young people the opportunity to engage with their community and the work that is already being done to identify the unused and unwelcoming spaces in the town, which many young people find threatening and alienating."

Creatives interested in the Ryde commission should email peta@independentarts.org.uk for more information.

If you are a young person aged 12 to 14 who lives, works or goes to school in the Ryde area and would like to be part of the project, please contact info@independentarts.org.uk or jo.johnson@networkryde.org.