Tiny Gallery In A Phone Box Brings Island Writers’ Words To Life

Ryde’s tiniest art gallery, Re:Box, has teamed up with Brevity – The Isle of Wight’s Literary Handbill – to showcase a unique new exhibition featuring 50-word stories by 16 local writers.

From tales of a woman pregnant with a vegetable to the adventures of a devoted keyboard warrior, these micro-stories offer quick bursts of imagination and emotion — all displayed inside the iconic red phone box on Lind Street, Ryde.

“This collection of 50-word fictions focuses on precise, sometimes quirky moments in time and is easy to read as you walk by the phone box,” explained Anmarie Bowler, Brevity editor and Re:Box co-founder.

“They may even inspire you to write your own 50-word story.”

Brevity has been celebrating short fiction by Island writers since 2019.

The six-times-yearly publication, printed at Boojum & Snark in Sandown, is distributed free at libraries and arts venues across the Island — with each issue featuring stories of 500 words or less.

Re:Box co-founder Zoë Barker said this collaboration was the perfect way to bring the written word into the visual art space:

“Up to now we’ve always featured visual art in Re:Box, but we knew one day we’d try out text, and super short stories are a natural fit.

"Crafting narratives in just 50 words is a challenge — but the results are comical, emotional and thought-provoking.”

Re:Box is housed in a classic red K6 telephone box, purchased by Ryde Town Council for £1 through BT’s Adopt a Kiosk scheme.

Bowler and Barker transformed the box into a miniature, illuminated gallery — a glowing beacon of creativity after dark.

The project is funded in part by Ryde Town Council.

Islanders who’d like to submit a story of up to 500 words to Brevity can visit👉 https://brevityisland.home.blog/contact/

And if you’re an artist or creative looking to “think inside the box,” you can contact Re:Box at ReBoxRyde@gmail.com or find them on Facebook at ReBoxRyde.