Portraits of Ramsgate to be officially unveiled on the Pleasurama hoardings

One of the Ramsgate portraits

The ribbon will be cut for the display of 15 new hoardings artwork panels at the Pleasurama site on Thursday, July 19.

The panels are the result of the Portraits of Ramsgate youth project which involved photographic workshops with students from the Royal Harbour Academy and Chatham & Clarendon Grammar. The students briefed graphic designer Sam Howle who has turned their images into striking panels.

Project MotorHouse has form when it comes to creating gorgeous hoarding panels for the old Pleasurama site. In 2017, they worked with students from Royal Harbour to create 15 panels which are trompe l’oeil beach huts.

Brenda Blethyn and Royal Harbour pupils unveil the hoardings in 2017 Photo by Rachel Wilberforce-Andrews

They proved so popular with visitors to Ramsgate Main Sands that Project MotorHouse decided to do 10 more.

Janet Fielding Photo Chris Tipping

Project MotorHouse director Janet Fielding said:  “It’s thanks to a grant from the Big Lottery, the new panels are now a reality.”

The aim of the project was to create a photographic display of Ramsgate. The students photos have already been exhibited at the McGillan and Woodell gallery in the town.

One of the photos in Portraits of Ramsgate

Jo Mapp, from Project MotorHouse, said:  “All we said to them was, we want them to look very different from the first lot of panels and they do. They’re fantastic. If they are half as popular as the beach huts, they will be a huge success.”

Portraits of Ramsgate

There is a high tea at Ramsgate Tunnels at 5:15pm on July 19 to celebrate the end of the project. Ramsgate mayor Trevor Shonk will cut the ribbon on the panels. All are welcome.