Celebrating the new breed of creatives and activists moving to Ibiza10th February 2021

Ever since Charles Marlow opened its doors on Ibiza, we’ve been observing, responding to and fulfilling the dreams and needs of artists of all kinds and activists moving to Ibiza and making change. In 2020, that constant wave of movement became more of a recognisable trend, one which we – for philosophical reasons as much as economic – welcome.

Ibiza has been a destination for people wanting to follow their creative urges or simply escape from a society they’ve felt confines them since the beginning of the 20th century, if not earlier.

Since then, there’s been a regular and consistent movement of people moving to Ibiza who want to live a life they love and believe they could do so here. The underlying impulse has always been the same: to connect with something more profound, authentic or simply other.

To give just one example, the great Joni Mitchell composed her album Blue on the island.

When I first came to the island, nearly 20 years ago, I realised Ibiza was alive with creatives and visionaries. But, in the past 10 years, I have seen a shift to people moving to Ibiza to create conscious projects. Some are focused on transcending the human experience and exploring space, others are looking how we can connect deeper to planet earth, the place we share.

We’re all aware that, as the consciousness of humanity rises, we need to dissolve the barriers in the way of connection to ourselves, our loved ones and our planet. For us, the island is where we create spaces that celebrate the beauty of life, centred around creativity and community. We have found a tribe with which we can share ideas, gifts and projects.

Now conscious movement to Ibiza is growing, we’re doing everything we can to enable this because we’re part of it. My brother and I started Charles Marlow to create a life we love and we continue to share our knowledge and help others live the way they want to.

Leaving the city game behind for down to earth change

For me, and many of the people I talk with, city life has lost its sweet taste. We won that ‘game’ and it left us feeling depleted, disconnected and lost in constant stimulation. Surrounded by people but lonely. Also, we no longer want a life where we work dangerously hard for 50 weeks of the year for just 2 weeks in the sun – during which we may well continue to work.

We’ve become aware that we can work from a home in the sun and travel only when we absolutely have to.

Apart from its obvious appeal, this way of life feels more natural to those looking to live a life with their families and not their work colleagues.

As those of us who are extracting ourselves from the city ‘game’ are gaining a sense of perspective, we are embracing the sense of responsibility we feel to make change.

This has been manifesting itself in many different ways for some time. Now it’s accelerating.

I see many examples of real action for change. One that comes immediately to mind is the trend towards creating permaculture farms attached to large fincas, inspired by people wanting to reconnect to a slower life led by the rhythm of nature and not by stock market turbulence.

All across Ibiza, people are creating remarkable things: hotels with healing crystal temples and stardust rooms, regenerative think tanks, eco-design studios, and permaculture farms. One of the consistent factors in all these initiatives, which I support, is including common areas, making space for people to connect and have meaningful and considered conversations.

More and more co-working spaces are opening that offer people a great place to meet, network and birth new creative ideas. These places attract world class talent.

The Project in San Lorenzo is an example of a somewhere created with community in mind – it has offices and a movement centre with classes from some of the best teachers on the island.   They hold workshops, talks, exhibitions and great parties that bring people together.

It’s important to be aware that, although people are moving to Ibiza and making change, the desire to do so is also deeply rooted in the people of Ibiza who have been here for centuries. For example, EcoFeixes is a cooperative of 14 organic local farms growing delicious, healthy produce that are becoming increasingly popular and widespread.

Charles Marlow is part of the new Ibiza

For me, and the people I know, it’s essential to support local people doing good work. We’re well aware of our responsibility to the place where we live, that we love. Ever since we opened our doors on the island, we’ve bought our food from local farmers, danced with the creatives, supported good causes and shared our knowledge.

We always connect the people we know to local businesses, organisations and residents who share common interests. This sparks new ideas and relationships that benefit everyone and just feels right.

Fortunately, our commitment to being part of the community has meant that Charles Marlow is often referred to potential buyers by existing clients. Now that interest in moving to Ibiza is intensifying, we’re talking to more and more people who appreciate the island’s beauty and potential to be a place where they change, and they make change.

Our hope is that Ibiza is a blueprint for ways of doing so that benefit everyone, an incubator for positive solutions to economic, social and environmental challenges in other countries. A new beginning.

In the coming months, as soon as travel opens up again, I expect to see more and more people looking to fulfil their dreams and moving to Ibiza. This will rejuvenate the entire island.  If the magic the artists and dreamers have always created is harnessed in a collaborative way, I am excited to see what projects, innovations and spaces are created in Ibiza.