Spotlight - Manx Radio

This week, Rhian gets the pleasure of chatting to Tony Eccles, Charlie Williams, and Lorcan O' Mahony of Parados Theatre, and Kensington Art Centre's Emma Goodwin and Callum Rowe, meanwhile Siobhan Flecther catches up with Wes Clarke.

The Ballakermeen Studio Theatre turns 20, Bryan Kneale MBE creates an art piece representing his love of the Isle of Man, and Jade Boylan reads us the tale of WoM's Feminist Book Club.

Rhian speaks to Owen Atkinson about their upcoming Drag Brunch after a successful debut last month, IOM Arts Council's Ali DeBecker wants to help bring your creative dreams come to life, and HIV+ Queer Manx Poet Simon Maddrell has his work featured in London festival for LGBT History Month.

Local swing dance teachers Natasha and Craig talk us through the magic of swing, Manx National Heritage reveals its updated Art Gallery with 130 pieces, and not long to go before curtain up on the Douglas Choral Union's Evita.

Chairperson of The Guild Anne Clark tells us there's not one, not two, not three, but FOUR new classes this year, Kensington Arts Centre's Emma Goodson teases a new writing course coming soon, and local New Yorker Kim Graziano reveals all about the Isle of Man Drawing Club.

H hears how a community choir has been re-branded and opened to all, how a former schoolboy on the Island is now in major Indie band, more cheeky poetry from Jan and the birthday of art!

The new Creative Development Co-ordinator at KA, Emma Goodson tells H about her plans, looking ahead to 24 with Jane Corkill from the Arts Council and "ooh er missus!" - local poet Jan Allison on publishing her first book of risque poetry! 

H hears about a new project bringing music and performance to families, hears how Poetry Trail 2024 is ready for the off and a lovely new rendition of our own Ellan Vannin

As we swing into a new year, H chats to one of the authors of a new guide to folklore sites on the Island, hears about a drag brunch and enjoys a timely poem from Youth Bard Haddasah Smith

H catches up with Youth Bard, Luke Quane, a chat with broken folk duo Lunatraktors playing in Dalby this evening and local author Luke Quane on his youth fantasy sequel novel "Albin and the New Order"

H looks at damaged and light sensitive art in the new hangings from the National Collection at the Manx Museum, tries to find out what the Whiteboys are all about before their pre-Christmas appearance on Saturday and a cautionary tale from the Bard!

H chats with the new arts intern at the Arts Council, has a sneak preview of a major new hang of pictures at the Manx Museum and has an end of year catch up at the Erin Arts Centre - and a look into 2024!

We hear from sculptor James Sutton as a new sculpture us unveiled at Mountain View, catch up with the latest Arts Council member, hear a little from the opening event for the HOME exhibition at the Manx Museum and another wonderful poem from Manx Bard Boaksey!

H features a preview of the new HOME exhibition and podcasts at MNH, more from Sandra and Ryan Oberoi at Harmony Music School, details on the latest round of Arts Council funding and a great new film from Culture Vannin on Manx tholtans  . .

We hear about the Harmony International Music School working on the Island, chat to the latest recipients of the Roz Kelly Music Bursary and how a Ramsey-based community theatre group are performing in California!  

H drops into the wonderful world of fungi and lichens in an exhibition at the Loom, a wonderful exhibition of sculpture and drawings by local artist Robert Jones at the House of Manannan and a poem from the Bard!

We drop into a new exhibition of Eileen Schaer's work at Studio 42, hear how the Poetry Trail is back for 2024 and look back - and ahead - at LitFest!

This week, we hear more about the latest series of Culture Vannin short films, H catches up with the Children's Poet Laureate and it's almost time for the Cooish!

H drops into the final rehearsals ahead of a production of Willy Russell's classic play "Educating Rita", a quick preview of an exciting new exhibition coming to Peel and a look ahead to this year's Big Bree Workshop! 

H chats to the new Biosphere Artist in Residence, Ali Hodgson, hears about the increase in student bursaries from the IOM Arts Council and how Manx singer Ruth Keggin-Gell is off to sing in Manx - in Nova Scotia!