From Gibraltar to Grenadines, Rock Retreat offers a creative space

During this year’s Gibraltar Literary Festival, organisers Gibraltar Cultural Services are highlighting some of the ongoing work of writers and illustrators taking place year round. Eleanor Dobbs, who runs the Rock Retreat, told Features Editor Gabriella Ramagge about how the project has connects creatives from across the globe.

Illustrator Eleanor Dobbs has been connecting creatives from Gibraltar and across the world through the Rock Retreat project.

The idea for the Rock Retreat was born out the Covid-19 lockdown, when the public was isolated from one another.

Ms Dobbs had the idea to start a residency programme called the Rock Retreat where creatives could connect and grow their projects.

“It was towards the end of Covid when we started to see a crack opening up and we were able to be in the same room as each other,” she said.

“We knew we wanted to start a residency where most importantly we were in the same space as each other, because the best ideas and tend to come from the intimacy of spending time together.”

She said the idea to carry out the residency in Gibraltar was because of the supportive and safe environment after Covid.

“We really do feel that the support that Gibraltar offers its creatives can be transferred to a global audience, particularly throughout our connections with our fellow overseas territories and the creative collaborations that can bring about,” she said.

Looking back at the first year of the Rock Retreat in 2022, Ms Dobbs said it was an incredible group.

“From that very first gathering we have seen incredible results for the authors and illustrators,” she said.

She pointed to Iqbal Hussain who has penned his second novel and has been contacted by Penguin Random House, which came out of a writing prompt which was given out on day three of the writer’s residency at the Garrison Library.

“I can’t mention every author, but I have certainly seen a growing interest in people publishing work within Gibraltar, which is really encouraging and we see children’s books going into BookGem now that have been born out of Rock Retreat residencies,” Ms Dobbs said.

She added that Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year 2024 Monica Popham had previously attended a Rock Retreat and has credited this as giving her more enthusiasm into her work.

Ms Dobbs holds the Rock Retreat in Gibraltar biennially, and throughout the years local illustrators are taken around the world to Ghana, St Vincent, and Scotland.

The Rock Retreat has also focused on a Zine project. Zines are small self-published homemade booklets which can cover any project.

An exhibition of zines organised by Ms Dobbs was held last year in the GEMA Gallery on the theme of ‘Home’ and featured local and international entries.

The Zine project came about after a visit to the Grenadines and the greatest impact for Ms Dobbs has been giving women a voice.

“It’s given women who wouldn’t necessarily see themselves as having a voice or of story to tell a portal in which to do it and this goes for the women of Gibraltar of all generations and UK and internationally,” she said.

“The spread was very international in the end, we reached out to people through the Rock Retreat Instagram and people are interested in the inclusive nature of the Rock Retreat.”

She said there was an amazing response with zines from over 20 countries including Gibraltar.

“It’s given the women of Gibraltar and the women of the world a commonality through the sharing of their stories.”

Ms Dobbs highlighted how the project has grown and brought women from across the Atlantic together.

She now she looks forward to bringing the story of how this came together in a magazine.

The publication ‘A Year of the Zine-makers’ will be released on International Women’s Day in 2026.

A recent retreat was also held in Iona, Scotland and Gibraltar was represented by illustration graduate Charlize Gingell.

Ms Dobbs added that Charlize has gained a lot of insight from the Scotland retreat, having been surrounded by creative from around the world.