What’s On

USER NOT FOUND is an immersive video podcast about what happens to our online identities after we die. This is a free online experience which can be viewed through any smartphone.

For this new digital adaptation of the 2018/19 critically-acclaimed live show, which included performances at Ventnor Exchange, innovative theatre makers Dante or Die have created a virtual site-specific world. Charge your phone, plug in your headphones and find a quiet space for this intimate, meditative and funny story of one man grappling with something deeply private.

USER NOT FOUND explores the ethics of digital ownership, public and private grief and shifting notions of connection and community.

The experience lasts 50mins and is recommended for 14+. Embedded captioning can be turned on/off. It is best suited to a smartphone and not a desktop, laptop or tablet device.

An informal monthly painting night at the Ventnor Exchange!

A fun packed, social night where you can create art pieces under the guidance of a local watercolour artist. Learn to paint using a range of watercolour techniques in a friendly and supportive atmosphere. 

All ages and abilities are welcome and no previous painting experience is necessary. Materials are provided and you’ll leave with the artwork you complete!

Upcoming themes:

September: bees

October: pumpkins

Last Tuesday of the Month 7.30pm – 9.30pm

Tickets: £6 per session

Brave Island is Ventnor Exchange’s programme of opportunities for 14-25 year olds. You can apply for this opportunity here

If you’re missing live performances, you love storytelling, or you’re just feeling a bit cooped up inside then come and take part in our Signal Fires event.

Signal Fires is a national festival of touring theatre. This Autumn UK theatre touring companies are joining together in a time of crisis to return to the ‘original theatre’ – storytelling around fires – to celebrate our fundamental need as humans to gather and tell stories.

We will be hosting our storytelling event at Monkton Arts in Ryde. It’s the chance for a group of 6 to gather round a real campfire, and listen to original stories created specially by award winning theatre maker Nassim Soleimanpour and 8 powerful writers and curated by Boundless Theatre.

Practical info: The event will take place in a socially distanced environment at Monkton Arts in Ryde. The event will run from 6.30 – 7.30pm. It will be outside, and although we will have a small campfire you will still need to dress warmly.

Our weekly Games Lounge is an opportunity to meet like minded people in a relaxing and fun night. 

We’ve got a wide mix of board games, card games, dice and strategy games available to play. Groups and individuals are welcome and everyone is encouraged to take part. Our bar is open as usual with cocktails, craft beers, fresh coffee and tea and wide range of unusual spirits and soft drinks.

There is no need to book, just turn up on the night!

Every Wednesday 7.30pm – 11pm. 

£2 Entry towards the games fund to build up the games library! 

Are you a creative entrepreneur, freelancer or remote worker based on the Isle of Wight? Often working from home or cafes?

Join us on the last Friday of every month as we open up our space, including a dedicated office, to use for free!

Come and try working in Ventnor for the day, meet fellow freelancers/remote workers and join an inspiring conversation with a guest speaker each month.

What happens?

Arrive at 10.30am
Guest Speaker 11–12
Networking & Working from 12-7pm
Bring your laptop, we’ve got free wifi and a dedicated quiet office or more sociable bar area available to work in. Our bar (including coffee/tea) will be open.

Brave Island is Ventnor Exchange’s programme of opportunities for 14-25 year olds. You can apply for this opportunity here

The chance to spend an hour with Rosie Wolfenden MBE, co-founder and managing director of Tatty Devine. Having started the business in 1999 straight out of University, Tatty Devine has now grown into a world renowned business. Featuring in Vogue, collaborating with industry greats, and receiving seals of approval from all over. As well as earning herself and co-founder Harriet Vine MBE’s for their contributions to fashion.

If you are interested in finding out how a small creative idea can grow into something huge, or if you’d just love to hear more about Tatty Devine, this is a great opportunity. You’ll have the chance to hear all about how Tatty Devine has become what it is today, and ask any questions you might have.

Practical info: The opportunity will take place at Ventnor Exchange in a socially distanced environment – your drink is on us. To apply, tell us why you’d like to take part in this opportunity.

A new home for spoken word on the Isle of Wight

A new poetry collective for writers and performers who want to create, experiment and develop their craft in a supportive environment, under guidance from established and celebrated poets.

A collaboration between Ventnor Exchange and champion of the Island’s poetry scene King Stammers, this is an informal group that meets fortnightly. You don’t need any experience to take part, just an interest in poetry and the spoken word, and an eagerness to explore your creativity with others.

Throughout the year there will also be opportunities to see performances, attend one off masterclasses and perform.

Brave Island is Ventnor Exchange’s programme of opportunities for 14-25 year olds. You can apply for this opportunity here

Seeing as Brave Island is a platform made for young people, we want to give you the chance to contribute ideas and give feedback so we can make sure that Brave Island is a really useful tool for you!

We are looking for a group of young people to join Brave Island’s ideas panel. We will meet four times a year for an informal, social get together where you can shape the opportunities on offer. If you are aged between 14 and 25, and feel you have some valuable ideas to give, we want to hear from you!

Practical Info: The ideas panel will meet four times a year, with dates to be confirmed. To apply, tell us why you’d like to be a part of the ideas panel and include an idea for an opportunity that you have.

The Ventnor Exchange Book Club is an informal and social group that meet monthly to review a new novel of the groups choosing. 

Inspired by the success of the Ventnor Fringe Book Bus this is an informal, sociable group for those with a love of reading. Discuss and debate a set book for each meeting over a cup of tea, craft beer or even a cocktail!

If you’d like to take part but don’t feel comfortable visiting in person at the moment please send us an email and we’ll send you a link to take part on the day using a programme called Zoom. It works best with a laptop/computer but you can also use a tablet or smartphone.

The book for September 2020 is ‘A Confederacy of Dunces’ by John Kennedy Toole

Aloha and listen up! 

The Purple Ukulele Club is back! An informal group led by Sandra O’ Toole, open to all abilities and ages. There is normally no need to book, but while we are following social distancing guidelines to keep group sizes small please send us an email to hello@ventnorexchange.co.uk if you’ve not attended before and would like to join the group.

There will be ukulele’s available to play for those just starting out. No experience necessary just have fun and meet like minded people.

Saturdays 2pm – 4pm.

Pay what you can donation per session.

Brave Island is Ventnor Exchange’s programme of opportunities for 14-25 year olds. You can apply for this opportunity here

The chance to spend an hour with Tom Pritchard, a copywriter currently working with Google, Nike, and Coca-Cola. Copywriting simply means writing text for businesses, this can vary from clever straplines for adverts, SEO-friendly copy for websites, longform editorial and opinion pieces, or anything in between. Tom has been working for himself since 2013, working with a huge variety of different clients.

Tom’s work regularly overlaps with a lot of other industries – marketing, publishing, journalism, web design, communications and more. So this opportunity is perfect for anyone interested in learning more about copywriting, or about working with or in any of those other areas.

Practical info: The opportunity will take place at Ventnor Exchange in a socially distanced environment – your drink is on us. To apply, tell us why you’d like to take part in this opportunity.

Our weekly Games Lounge is an opportunity to meet like minded people in a relaxing and fun night. 

We’ve got a wide mix of board games, card games, dice and strategy games available to play. Groups and individuals are welcome and everyone is encouraged to take part. Our bar is open as usual with cocktails, craft beers, fresh coffee and tea and wide range of unusual spirits and soft drinks.

There is no need to book, just turn up on the night!

Every Wednesday 7.30pm – 11pm. 

£2 Entry towards the games fund to build up the games library! 

Aloha and listen up! 

The Purple Ukulele Club is back! An informal group led by Sandra O’ Toole, open to all abilities and ages. There is normally no need to book, but while we are following social distancing guidelines to keep group sizes small please send us an email to hello@ventnorexchange.co.uk if you’ve not attended before and would like to join the group.

There will be ukulele’s available to play for those just starting out. No experience necessary just have fun and meet like minded people.

Saturdays 2pm – 4pm.

Pay what you can donation per session.

Brave Island is Ventnor Exchange’s programme of opportunities for 14-25 year olds. You can apply for this opportunity here

This year we are looking for a Christmas card design that will be sold to raise money for the Isle of Wight Food Banks. The design should fit an A6 card, it can be landscape or portrait. The design can be anything you like to celebrate Christmas, we are particularly keen on something original, uplifting and inspiring. The cards will be sold in shops around the Isle of Wight, and all profits will go towards the Isle of Wight Food Banks.

There is a prize of £100 for the design that gets chosen! The deadline is 9th November.

Brave Island is Ventnor Exchange’s programme of opportunities for 14-25 year olds. You can apply for this opportunity here

The chance to ask questions with actor Tom Brittney and find out more about his career in acting and starring in TV and film.

Tom trained at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London, and since then has starred in a variety of roles in TV and in film. Tom has most recently starred alongside Tom Hanks as ‘Lieutenant Watson’ in war film Greyhound out on Apple TV.

You might also have seen him recently as ‘Billy’ in BBC television film Make Me Famous created by Reggie Yates. Tom also stars as the lead character in Grantchester (ITV) and in historical/fantasy series Outlander.

Practical info: This session will be delivered virtually via Zoom. We will email you a link to the video call.

Aloha and listen up! 

The Purple Ukulele Club is back! An informal group led by Sandra O’ Toole, open to all abilities and ages. There is normally no need to book, but while we are following social distancing guidelines to keep group sizes small please send us an email to hello@ventnorexchange.co.uk if you’ve not attended before and would like to join the group.

There will be ukulele’s available to play for those just starting out. No experience necessary just have fun and meet like minded people.

Saturdays 2pm – 4pm.

Pay what you can donation per session.

Our weekly Games Lounge is an opportunity to meet like minded people in a relaxing and fun night. 

We’ve got a wide mix of board games, card games, dice and strategy games available to play. Groups and individuals are welcome and everyone is encouraged to take part. Our bar is open as usual with cocktails, craft beers, fresh coffee and tea and wide range of unusual spirits and soft drinks.

There is no need to book, just turn up on the night!

Every Wednesday 7.30pm – 11pm. 

£2 Entry towards the games fund to build up the games library! 

Aloha and listen up! 

The Purple Ukulele Club is back! An informal group led by Sandra O’ Toole, open to all abilities and ages. There is normally no need to book, but while we are following social distancing guidelines to keep group sizes small please send us an email to hello@ventnorexchange.co.uk if you’ve not attended before and would like to join the group.

There will be ukulele’s available to play for those just starting out. No experience necessary just have fun and meet like minded people.

Saturdays 2pm – 4pm.

Pay what you can donation per session.

Brave Island is Ventnor Exchange’s programme of opportunities for 14-25 year olds. You can apply for this opportunity here

We are looking for an aspiring fashion photographer to take a selection of images to promote the new Ventnor Exchange t-shirts. The shoot will take place at Ventnor Exchange, for two hours. There will be up to five models and we are looking for a selection of edited images of each model and t-shirt. The images should clearly show the t-shirt design and entice customers to purchase them as they will be used to promote the t-shirts on our online shop and social media.

You will need to have your own camera and be able to edit the images. The shoot will be 2 hours long with 2-3 hours allowed for editing in your own time. There is a £75 commission up for grabs.

Practical info: The opportunity will take place at Ventnor Exchange in a socially distanced environment. To apply, tell us why you would like to take part in this opportunity and leave links to your work in the box below. If no links are available, we will contact you via email for you to provide us with some examples of your work.

Our weekly Games Lounge is an opportunity to meet like minded people in a relaxing and fun night. 

We’ve got a wide mix of board games, card games, dice and strategy games available to play. Groups and individuals are welcome and everyone is encouraged to take part. Our bar is open as usual with cocktails, craft beers, fresh coffee and tea and wide range of unusual spirits and soft drinks.

There is no need to book, just turn up on the night!

Every Wednesday 7.30pm – 11pm. 

£2 Entry towards the games fund to build up the games library! 

Are you a creative entrepreneur, freelancer or remote worker based on the Isle of Wight? Often working from home or cafes?

Join us on the last Friday of every month as we open up our space, including a dedicated office, to use for free!

Come and try working in Ventnor for the day, meet fellow freelancers/remote workers and join an inspiring conversation with a guest speaker each month.

What happens?

Arrive at 10.30am
Guest Speaker 11–12
Networking & Working from 12-7pm
Bring your laptop, we’ve got free wifi and a dedicated quiet office or more sociable bar area available to work in. Our bar (including coffee/tea) will be open.

The Ventnor Exchange Book Club is an informal and social group that meet monthly to review a new novel of the groups choosing. 

Inspired by the success of the Ventnor Fringe Book Bus this is an informal, sociable group for those with a love of reading. Discuss and debate a set book for each meeting over a cup of tea, craft beer or even a cocktail!

If you’d like to take part but don’t feel comfortable visiting in person at the moment please send us an email and we’ll send you a link to take part on the day using a programme called Zoom. It works best with a laptop/computer but you can also use a tablet or smartphone.

The book for September 2020 is ‘A Confederacy of Dunces’ by John Kennedy Toole

Aloha and listen up! 

The Purple Ukulele Club is back! An informal group led by Sandra O’ Toole, open to all abilities and ages. There is normally no need to book, but while we are following social distancing guidelines to keep group sizes small please send us an email to hello@ventnorexchange.co.uk if you’ve not attended before and would like to join the group.

There will be ukulele’s available to play for those just starting out. No experience necessary just have fun and meet like minded people.

Saturdays 2pm – 4pm.

Pay what you can donation per session.

Our weekly Games Lounge is an opportunity to meet like minded people in a relaxing and fun night. 

We’ve got a wide mix of board games, card games, dice and strategy games available to play. Groups and individuals are welcome and everyone is encouraged to take part. Our bar is open as usual with cocktails, craft beers, fresh coffee and tea and wide range of unusual spirits and soft drinks.

There is no need to book, just turn up on the night!

Every Wednesday 7.30pm – 11pm. 

£2 Entry towards the games fund to build up the games library! 

Aloha and listen up! 

The Purple Ukulele Club is back! An informal group led by Sandra O’ Toole, open to all abilities and ages. There is normally no need to book, but while we are following social distancing guidelines to keep group sizes small please send us an email to hello@ventnorexchange.co.uk if you’ve not attended before and would like to join the group.

There will be ukulele’s available to play for those just starting out. No experience necessary just have fun and meet like minded people.

Saturdays 2pm – 4pm.

Pay what you can donation per session.

Our weekly Games Lounge is an opportunity to meet like minded people in a relaxing and fun night. 

We’ve got a wide mix of board games, card games, dice and strategy games available to play. Groups and individuals are welcome and everyone is encouraged to take part. Our bar is open as usual with cocktails, craft beers, fresh coffee and tea and wide range of unusual spirits and soft drinks.

There is no need to book, just turn up on the night!

Every Wednesday 7.30pm – 11pm. 

£2 Entry towards the games fund to build up the games library! 

Aloha and listen up! 

The Purple Ukulele Club is back! An informal group led by Sandra O’ Toole, open to all abilities and ages. There is normally no need to book, but while we are following social distancing guidelines to keep group sizes small please send us an email to hello@ventnorexchange.co.uk if you’ve not attended before and would like to join the group.

There will be ukulele’s available to play for those just starting out. No experience necessary just have fun and meet like minded people.

Saturdays 2pm – 4pm.

Pay what you can donation per session.

Our weekly Games Lounge is an opportunity to meet like minded people in a relaxing and fun night. 

We’ve got a wide mix of board games, card games, dice and strategy games available to play. Groups and individuals are welcome and everyone is encouraged to take part. Our bar is open as usual with cocktails, craft beers, fresh coffee and tea and wide range of unusual spirits and soft drinks.

There is no need to book, just turn up on the night!

Every Wednesday 7.30pm – 11pm. 

£2 Entry towards the games fund to build up the games library! 

1647. Celebrating Christmas is banned. Carols are criminal. Turkey’s taboo. But we don’t give a figgy pudding.

A riotous musical comedy that takes audiences back to 1647, as a motley troupe of rebellious performers host a secret, late-night Christmas party against the backdrop of Puritan bans on theatres and Christmas festivities. Carols are criminal. Turkey’s taboo. Banquets are banished and stage-plays prohibited. In fact, festivities of any kind are quite frankly forbidden. Sound familiar?

At the Undercover Christmas Club, misrule and mayhem are on the menu. Hidden away from prying eyes, the troupe present a feast of theatrical yuletide treats. Full to the brim with live music, tall tales and belly laughs, our show immerses the audience in a world of folklore, song, and of course, good old festive fun. Join us under the cover of night as we frolic without fear and revel in rebellion. After all, ‘tis the season to be jolly.

The performance is approx 60 mins with no interval.
Recommended for audiences aged 14+ (some strong language and sexual references)

Thursday 17th – Friday 18th December 2020
Tickets: £12 (Under 25’s £5) Fringe Friends 2for1

Created & Performed by Riddlestick Theatre

1647. Celebrating Christmas is banned. Carols are criminal. Turkey’s taboo. But we don’t give a figgy pudding.

A riotous musical comedy that takes audiences back to 1647, as a motley troupe of rebellious performers host a secret, late-night Christmas party against the backdrop of Puritan bans on theatres and Christmas festivities. Carols are criminal. Turkey’s taboo. Banquets are banished and stage-plays prohibited. In fact, festivities of any kind are quite frankly forbidden. Sound familiar?

At the Undercover Christmas Club, misrule and mayhem are on the menu. Hidden away from prying eyes, the troupe present a feast of theatrical yuletide treats. Full to the brim with live music, tall tales and belly laughs, our show immerses the audience in a world of folklore, song, and of course, good old festive fun. Join us under the cover of night as we frolic without fear and revel in rebellion. After all, ‘tis the season to be jolly.

The performance is approx 60 mins with no interval.
Recommended for audiences aged 14+ (some strong language and sexual references)

Thursday 17th – Friday 18th December 2020
Tickets: £12 (Under 25’s £5) Fringe Friends 2for1

Created & Performed by Riddlestick Theatre

The Ventnor Exchange Book Club is an informal and social group that meet monthly to review a new novel of the groups choosing. 

Inspired by the success of the Ventnor Fringe Book Bus this is an informal, sociable group for those with a love of reading. Discuss and debate a set book for each meeting over a cup of tea, craft beer or even a cocktail!

If you’d like to take part but don’t feel comfortable visiting in person at the moment please send us an email and we’ll send you a link to take part on the day using a programme called Zoom. It works best with a laptop/computer but you can also use a tablet or smartphone.

The book for September 2020 is ‘A Confederacy of Dunces’ by John Kennedy Toole

Are you a creative entrepreneur, freelancer or remote worker based on the Isle of Wight? Often working from home or cafes?

Join us on the last Friday of every month as we open up our space, including a dedicated office, to use for free!

Come and try working in Ventnor for the day, meet fellow freelancers/remote workers and join an inspiring conversation with a guest speaker each month.

What happens?

Arrive at 10.30am
Guest Speaker 11–12
Networking & Working from 12-7pm
Bring your laptop, we’ve got free wifi and a dedicated quiet office or more sociable bar area available to work in. Our bar (including coffee/tea) will be open.

Want clothing that fits you and expresses your unique style? Say goodbye to fast fashion and start creating your own garments, with the support of fellow sewists and knitters.

Slow Fashion Makers is a monthly get-together to share skills and experiences on the journey to achieving a hand-crafted wardrobe that will be the envy of family and friends. Taking place on the second Saturday of each month, from 2pm-5pm.

Whether you want to try your hand at making a garment for the first time, be more mindful about your fashion choices, or you want support to be more adventurous with your sewing or knitting projects, all are welcome. We have lots of exciting ideas covering everything from fitting adjustments and problem solving, learning new techniques and up-skilling, to refashioning and up-cycling.

If you’d like to get involved, ring Gilly Jenner on 07976 685281 or email gillianjenner@ginjer.co.uk.

Mum, woman, actor, writer, comic, cook, cleaner… who am I… and who are you… really? Laugh and cry as Joann Condon (Little Britain) lifts the lid on all the little boxes that are created for us.

Have you ever felt that you have been unfairly categorised, pigeon-holed, “boxed-up”? Well, actress and comedian Joann, has had enough. “Just because we look a certain, way and speak a certain way, and are of a certain age, people make snap decisions about who we are.” Follow Joann on her journey of discovery, as she sorts through the boxes she has accumulated during her life.

The performance is 60 mins with no interval.
Recommended for audiences aged 12+

Wednesday 20th – Thursday 21st January 2021
Tickets: £12 (Under 25’s £5) Fringe Friends 2for1

Created by Alphamum Productions Ltd.

Mum, woman, actor, writer, comic, cook, cleaner… who am I… and who are you… really? Laugh and cry as Joann Condon (Little Britain) lifts the lid on all the little boxes that are created for us.

Have you ever felt that you have been unfairly categorised, pigeon-holed, “boxed-up”? Well, actress and comedian Joann, has had enough. “Just because we look a certain, way and speak a certain way, and are of a certain age, people make snap decisions about who we are.” Follow Joann on her journey of discovery, as she sorts through the boxes she has accumulated during her life.

The performance is 60 mins with no interval.
Recommended for audiences aged 12+

Wednesday 20th – Thursday 21st January 2021
Tickets: £12 (Under 25’s £5) Fringe Friends 2for1

Created by Alphamum Productions Ltd.

The Death of King Arthur is a new version of a very old story, an interactive twist on the
enduringly popular tales of Arthur and his knights.

Sit back and enjoy or actively take part in choosing which parts of the story you want to
hear. Each show is unique, depending on your choices… bringing a lost Britain back to life
and asking what the old tales can tell us in these complicated times.

Examining British identity, our relationship with Europe and ‘fake news’, The Death of King
Arthur explodes the legend we all think we know and asks: What story do you want to believe?

The performance is approx 60 mins with no interval.
Recommended for audiences aged 12+

Thursday 18th February 2021
Tickets: £12 (Under 25’s £5) Fringe Friends 2for1

Created & Performed by Seth Kriebel

Shaving? Tanning? Over-exercising? Cabbage-souping? Starving? Don’t bother, we’re not. Grab your pals and your biscuits and watch Beach Body Ready!

It’s the season of cutting carbs, hitting it hard at the gym, and shaving everything from the chin down. Summer has rocked up and the media has us thinking about how our bodies aren’t up to scratch and there are companies ready to capitalise on that. We’ve been shamed, dehumanised, and humiliated for how we look and we’ve had enough.

Join The Roaring Girls for a defiantly feel-good show which sticks two fingers up at how the media says you should look.

The Roaring Girls are getting Beach Body Ready. Are you?

“Engaging, funny and inclusive” – The Guardian

“Beach Body Ready is the show the world has been waiting for” – Within Her Words

The Roaring Girls is presented in association with Hull Truck Theatre, Absolutely Cultured, The Pleasance with support from House, In Good Company and Waterside Arts Centre.

The performance is 70 mins with no interval.
Recommended for 14+ due to some strong language

Content Warning: There are some issues discussed that some may find upsetting, such as mentions of mental health issues, particularly related to body image, body dysmorphia and eating disorders.

All performances are relaxed. The house lights will remain on at a low level, sudden sound noises are lowered, and there is a relaxed atmosphere to movement and sound within the auditorium.

Thursday 11th March 2021
Tickets: £12 (Under 25’s £5) Fringe Friends 2for1