"We [Screen Argyll] are so excited to be involved with the Future Island-Island project. We spent two days on Rathlin Island, sharing our work with the island’s community, showing our films and sharing our approaches to working on islands. It was brilliant to meet the community and learn about some of the projects happening on Rathlin. From Rathlin, you can see Argyll, so it is a natural fit to build on our work, connecting island communities and for CHARTS members to benefit from expanding reach, sharing experiences and connections. Exchanging knowledge and stories, building community networks and connections, is at the heart of what we do at Screen Argyll and working in partnership with CHARTS enables us to open further opportunities and expand these networks" – Jen Skinner, CHARTS Steering Group Lead, Islands / Screen Argyll
Connecting with Rathlin Island
In February 2026, CHARTS was invited by Future Island-Island's Dr Jessica Bates of the University of Ulster to visit Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland's only inhabited offshore island. Representing CHARTS on this trip were member Jen Skinner of Screen Argyll, Kirsten Millar, CHARTS Interim Assistant Director, visiting alongside Dr Michael Pierre Johnson, Trustee, also representing the School of Innovation and Technology at the Glasgow School of Art.
This included taking part in Connecting Coastal Cultures, an event within the Northern Ireland Science Festival programme. This event invited Rathlin residents and other participants to identify shared interests and opportunities for knowledge exchange. Contributions included screenings from Screen Argyll, and an introduction to CHARTS and our work advocating for the development, support and production of cultural assets across Argyll.
During the trip, outreach activities enabled the team to learn about the work undertaken during Phase One of Future Island-Island and to experience a newly developed virtual reality headset around themes of environmental sustainability and marine life. The visit also included discussions with David Quinney Mee of Rathlin Development and Community Association, sharing approaches to working with island communities, a tour of the RSPB Rathlin West Light Seabird Centre, and a visit to Rathlin East Lighthouse.
This learning will inform a series of online events and workshops focused on knowledge exchange for island and coastal communities in Argyll, in partnership with the School of Innovation and Technology at the Glasgow School of Art from 2026 to 2028.
Future Island - Island