Island of Culture events director Michael Lees has said the Isle of Man is a ‘true cultural powerhouse’.

Mr Lees was speaking at a reception to mark the conclusion of a year of Island-wide cultural celebrations.

More than 80 guests, including His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor Mr Adam Wood, the President of Tynwald and Island of Culture co-patron Clare Christian, Isle of Man Arts Council chairman Geoff Corkish, and the Mayor and Mayoress of Douglas, Stan and Sheila Cain, gathered in the Empress Hotel on January 6th, a year to the day since Island of Culture was launched, to hear Mr Lees declare ‘What a year and what a story it [Island of Culture] has been.’

2014 had been, he said ‘a wonderful year for the arts in the Isle of Man’, a sentiment echoed by Mrs Christian who spoke of how Island of Culture had provided ‘varied and exciting’ offerings, encouraged creativity and opened open people’s eyes ‘to the richness of the Island’s cultural canvas.’

For Mr Corkish 2014 had been ‘a vibrant year of celebrations’ that had ‘gained new converts’ to the arts, ‘spawned’ new cultural events, left a lasting legacy and would contribute to shaping the Arts Council’s future strategy.

Mr Lees also observed how communities across the Island had come together ‘to celebrate and interpret in their own creative ways, elements of our cultural life’ and how schools had embraced Island of Culture with enthusiasm and imagination.

Youth cultural ambassadors Jason Evans, Davy Knowles and Lloyd Mayor were praised by all three speakers for taking time out of their busy schedules to return home during the year and share their talent and skills in concerts and workshops. Their contribution, said Mr Lees, would leave ‘a legacy of incalculable worth’.

The ‘epic’ scale of the celebrations would never have been possible without the support of the Island of Culture financial partners - the Isle of Man Arts Council; Culture Vannin, the Empress Hotel, Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, Mannin Printing, Manx Radio, Manx Telecom, SES and Zurich  - agreed Mrs Christian, Mr Corkish and Mr Lees, and in recognition of their contribution a representative from each organisation was presented with a specially commissioned etched trophy crafted from Pooil Vaaish stone.

Concluding Mr Lees said that Island of Culture had left ‘a tangible legacy’ – a substantial bursary fund that would ‘help set young Manx artists on new and exciting career pathways so that they, too, in years to come, might add new chapters to the story we tell to the world.’

Complementary  Island of Culture 2015 calendars, featuring images from many of the year’s events, are available from The Welcome Centre in the Sea Terminal and the Isle of Man Arts Council at the Department of Education and Children, Hamilton House, Peel Road, Douglas. For details of other outlets contact the Arts Council’s Emma Quirk, Emma.Quirk@gov.im, 697420.

Photo - Island of Culture events director Michael Lees. Photo Steve Babb.