Jersey is known internationally as a creative island. It positions the arts to the heart of strategic development to safeguard its future as a place of sustainable wellbeing. It prioritises excellence and innovation in the arts to support a healthy and happy population, an enriching environment and a productive and balanced economy.
Jersey’s Arts Strategy focuses on the profile and dynamics of the arts in Jersey. This includes activities in performing arts, visual arts, music, literature, and areas of film and audio visual. The island positions the arts at the heart of its international cultural relations, inward investment and tourism agendas. This is our creative island.
Carrie Cooper is the Head of Communications for ArtHouse Jersey. Previously she has worked for Spain’s Global Radio and the BBC as a broadcast journalist, presenter & producer. She acted as publicist for Branchage International Film Festival and Reasons Festival and designed, managed & hosted a pop-up BBC specialist cross-arts radio station.
Up until the pandemic Carrie regularly presented & reported for the BBC on issues affecting Jersey’s community and has an in-depth knowledge of what the Island has to offer culturally. She also worked as a DJ for 15 years, in bars, clubs and lounges, both locally and abroad. Currently, in addition to her work as Head of Communications at ArtHouse Jersey, Carrie is a international voice artist and is also responsible for the communications of the Rivington Fund, a trust that exists to support people who might need some financial assistance to travel off-Island to deepen their passion for the arts and/or history.
While she is passionate about traveling, gastronomy, arts, culture and music from around the world, she takes pride in celebrating all the wonderful things that make up her unique home Island of Jersey.
From an arts perspective there are many obvious reasons why Jersey is a great choice for events, including its stunning natural beauty, rich cultural heritage, and excellent infrastructure. Also, I believe visitors enjoy the notion of coming to an Island and being somewhere completely different and unique without having to travel far. When we host artists for events the warm hospitality, dramatic nature of the coastline and contrasts of vistas in such a small landmass seem to be their standout impressions. Jersey’s landscape, culture and history all have a significant impact on the island’s creative output and therefore the events it has to offer.
The very act of being an island can evoke a feeling of being isolated and protected from the world which makes the experiences on offer unique. Jersey also has a history of creative thinking in its adoption of various trades from fishing to wool to flowers to agriculture; tourism and now finance so there is an entrepreneurial spirit that runs through the ages.
Some of those traditions are still celebrated in events across the Island today while many other more modern, dynamic and surprising cultural events are also on offer. There are also plenty of high-quality accommodation options for event attendees, from luxury hotels to quaint guesthouses and self-catering apartments, including those available at ArtHouse Jersey’s HQ at Greve de Lecq Barracks.
At ArtHouse Jersey we hold a great variety of events, including exhibitions, live performances, comedy and dance shows, music and poetry gigs, workshops and more. From our own premises on the perfectly formed bay of Greve de Lecq or our bright and welcoming gallery space at Capital House in St Helier, to hosting workshops in woodlands and producing unique performances in surprising venues, great events and cultural offerings can always find an exciting home here.
An ArtHouse Jersey example would be our Sound of Colour production, a live 3D projection mapping show which was beamed onto the ceiling of St Helier Town Church and ran alongside live electronic score with a stunning accompanying vocalist. Having the courage to produce events that will surprise and delight audiences is at the heart of what we do.
Whether you’re an event organiser or an attendee I would highly recommend hiring a car and spending a good few days really exploring what the Island has to offer by way of natural beauty. From the wilds of the west to the calm, still magic of the east, and seemingly infinite and perfectly formed winding country lanes in between, there will be a smile to be found around almost every corner. If you’re a fan of jumping into the sea there are a dozen major beaches and over 50 miles of varied coastline to take in.
Finally, I’d recommend talking to the locals and asking questions about what they love about living here. There’s a great deal of pride amongst those who call Jersey their home and most are happy to share their knowledge and passion for the island with anyone who will listen 🙂