The New Hampshire Humanities Council has awarded a grant to Barking Spider Productions for An Island Kingdom, a one-hour television documentary that will trace the history of the Isles of Shoals from 1614 to the present day.

Producer Andrea Melville has produced two Emmy-award winning documentaries for public television. She will use historic photographs, film, paintings and drawings to support interviews with scholars familiar with the history, culture and characters for he Isles of Shoals to show how the islands have changed over the last two centuries.

From an early Colonial fishing outpost to a vacation spot for the wealthy to the summer home of celebrated 19th century poet and painter Celia Thaxter and her close friend, American Impressionist Childe Hassam, the Isles of Shoals have played a critical role in New England’s economic and cultural evolution. This program will also highlight present-day restoration and conservation efforts through footage of these beautiful inlands as they are today.

Barking Spider Productions hope to air the program on public television and will schedule free screenings at seacoast area libraries and museums prior to the planned October 2008 airdate.

An Island Kingdom is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a nonprofit arts service organization. Contributions in behalf of An Island Kingdom may be made payable to Fractured Atlas and are tax-deductible. To donate directly go to Fractured Atlas’s website. If you would like more information about the program An Island Kingdom, please call 802.485.3901 or email bspider@trans-video.net.