A creative group known as the Keird Collective has recently rebranded and are welcoming new members, hosting regular meet ups for creative people. The Isle of Man Arts Council spoke to some of the members about how they started and their future plans.
How did The Keird Collective start?
The Keird Collective started as a creative pop up in 2017 between six like-minded women.
We brought our creative minds, products and skills together to host pop-up events.
Our aim was to create fun and unique experiences all over the Island. Back then, we used to run a blend of curated shopping and creative workshop events which we ran until 2020.
When life began taking all sorts of exciting turns for us all, we took a little hiatus
Fast forward to the end of 2023, we decided to revive the collective.
The Keird Collective 2.0 focuses much more on the social aspect of being a creative person living in the island.
It can be quite a solitary experience to design and create work on client commissions and sometimes it can be good to chat, problem-solve and work alongside other people who ‘get it’.
After planning a sold-out freelancer’s Christmas party in Jan 2024, we now offer informal meet-ups in Douglas where artists, designers and crafters can meet up with other like-minded folks and co-work together on their creative projects.
We also plan to offer more social events that bring the creative community together in other parts of the island. If you’re a creative person looking to connect with one others, then we are your people. Everyone is welcome!
What is the purpose of the Collective now?
As well as providing a social space for creatives to meet-up, we also wanted to provide a space for gentle accountability. Some members of our collective recently entered artwork into the Hodgson-Loom Gallery’s open exhibition.
Without the fact we were holding each other accountable, many of us wouldn’t have finished and submitted a piece in time, if at all!
As creatives, we don’t often make time to work on our own personal projects so whether you have a client deadline or personal project you’d like to get off the ground, the Keird Collective is here to encourage and cheerlead you on.
What kind of work/ pieces do people bring? What art forms do you cover in the sessions?
We have a real mix of mediums from sketchbooks to digital drawing to knitting, anything goes! If it’s easy enough to do in a busy café environment then bring it along.
We also have a mix of ages and abilities which makes these meet ups a great space for aspiring artists to chat to experienced creatives as well as helping one another to problem solve and offer new perspectives to their projects.
We meet every other Wednesday at Henderson & Glass between 5.30pm-7.45pm – it’s best to check our social media for the specific dates.
Are there any more plans for other events in conjunction with this?
We are hoping to branch out to Peel soon to offer some creative party game nights.
Keep an eye on our socials for updates! We will also be planning an Autumn/Winter fair with first refusal of places going to members of our community and, of course, we plan to host our festive freelancer’s party again in January 2025!
Where can we follow you?
You can follow us on Facebook and social media @KeirdCollective If you’re interested in joining in with our events and/or helping to organise – please do get in touch with us!