Turner Contemporary’s new Drawing Studio attracted some 3,000 visits in its first two weeks, demonstrating strong appetite for the gallery’s expanded drawing programme.
The studio—an open, accessible space for visitors of all ages—has quickly established itself as a vibrant hub for Margate’s creative community. Families, adults, young people and regular visitors, have responded enthusiastically, with many praising the free dedicated space and materials that make drawing accessible for all.
Taking inspiration from the current exhibition, Learning to See by Bridget Riley, the studio pays tribute to the importance of drawing for Riley, and for many artists, in building a foundation for their work.
The gallery is developing a programme of in-person masterclasses with an intergenerational range of artists.
The sessions will be held in the Drawing Studio and filmed to create online learning content, expanding access for audiences beyond Margate.
The Drawing Studio has been designed as a free, warm and welcoming environment where visitors can pick up a pencil and explore their creativity.
Toby Parkin, Head of Learning & Participation at Turner Contemporary, said: “The Drawing Studio is for everyone—a place to experiment, learn, slow down and enjoy the simple act of drawing.
“We’re excited to keep building a programme that grows with the community and welcomes people of all ages and abilities to get involved.”
Turner Contemporary will continue updating its programme through 2026
Drawing Tours
Fridays, 3.30pm–4.15pm: A guided introduction to drawing through the exhibitions, encouraging visitors to slow down, look closely and sketch from artworks and objects.
Art Rebels: Mark Making
Saturdays & Sundays, 2pm–4pm: A relaxed, family-friendly workshop exploring playful drawing.
Scribblers: after-school drawing club
Wednesdays, 3.30pm–4.30pm A weekly creative space for children to experiment with new techniques and build their drawing skills.
Artist-led drawing workshops
11 Jan, 22 Feb, and monthly until October 2026, 11.30am–1pm: Hands-on sessions led by practising artists, introducing participants to a wide range of drawing styles, materials and approaches. The first group of artists—programmed through February—focus primarily on life drawing, with future sessions exploring mixed media, botanical drawing, and later seascape and landscape drawing.
Drawn Together: monthly drawing social for adults
9 Jan, 6 Feb, and monthly until October 2026, 6pm–8pm: A relaxed evening event inviting adults of all abilities to meet, draw and experiment in a welcoming studio environment.
Turner Contemporary has also created a Sketchbook to complement the Drawing Studio. The Sketchbook teaches the foundations of drawing—giving space for people to practice and experiment—and is available to buy at the Turner Contemporary shop.
Alongside in-person workshops, Turner Contemporary has launched a digital campaign encouraging people to share their drawings and creative moments using the hashtag #GetDrawnIn.
The Drawing Studio is supported by the De Ying Foundation.
Might have known it would be free to use. Cant have the lovey dovey art community paying, whilst the council cuts back on social needs its nice to known the arty community is well looked after.
And yes I’m being sarcastic
On one level, I hear what you’re saying. You have a point. However anybody can go along and have fun or draw more seriously as they like, for free, kids included.
Materials aside, anyone can draw for free without this. Kids included.
Where do “Margate’s creative community” buy their materials from now that even The Works and W.H. Smith have closed in the “regenerated” town. Still, good to know they can use a brand-new drawing studio at tax payer’s expense while the homeless are sleeping rough just over the road.
Merry Christmas, folks!
Checksfield , That’s easy to answer… I’m surprised as you are a so called expert on everything that you didn’t think they and most artists get their materials from Lovely’s on Northdown Road , Cliftonville , a shop that has served artists for several decades . Doh !
You really believe they walk or bus all the way to a notoriously expensive shop in Cliftonville? More likely they go to Westwood Cross or use the internet, but my point stands: why doesn’t someon open an art supplies shop in Margate? Even in sleepy Birchington-on-Sea I can think of at least two shops where people can buy basic art materials.
Of course, if they want to imitate Emin they can simply ask the homeless to loan them their rancid bedding.
Shalom.
Checksfield , your ignorance and arrogance knows no bounds . I’m friends with a top professional artist who who has exhibited around the world who buys most of her materials from Lovely’s and so do many other pro or keen amateur artists hence why do you think this shop is still trading after many decades and dealt with changes of ways to purchase things
You seem to just look at life through your own eyes dismissing out of hand any thing contrary to warped view on life .
Btw. Most people unlike you drive these days so driving to Lovely’s is not an issue like it is for you because you’ve never bothered to learn to drive an£ unlikely too at your old age .
These artists don’t sound very Green if they drive to get art supplies. Fortunately, I care about your grandchildren’s future.
JMW- You’re right about Lovely’s. It has a wide range of high-quality paints, brushes, canvases etc. The people who work there are knowledgeable and very helpful. (I am an amateur artist.) It’s on the Loop bus route. When I bought a large easel, it was delivered to me by car -I don’t drive.
It is a wonderful shop and I hope it stays open.
Lovelys is lovely (one of the very few decent shops remaining in Cliftonville) but surely The Works in Dumpton would be easier for you?
I look forward to seeing some of your work. Maybe contribute to one of the fine galleries in Ramsgate?
What a shock; a story involving The Turner has attracted comments from the anthropomorphised bowl of dishwater.
Arts funding does and has, for literal centuries, enabled some of the greatest cultural advances in history – not to mention it pays for itself by orders of magnitude.
It’s no shock that the typical dullards are so against something that doesn’t directly appeal or relate to them – why should anyone else have anything?
Keep to writing your boring books in your joyless life and spouting your nonsense on here.
The “boring books” that earn me in excess of two grand per month, all achieved without ANY public funding? Will do. 😊
Sure they do Pete, sure they do.
Email me with proof of your earnings and I’ll show you mine. That’s a promise.
What has my income got to do with anything? Don’t you keep crying poverty about being a pensioner, anyway?
Regardless of how many books you may or may not sell; your attitude to art being accessible to others speaks volumes of your character and your objection to that accessibility also shows your utter lack of insight into how bands like the stones learn their craft! Pretty sure they wouldn’t have done what they did without arts being funded.. but as long as you’re alright, Jack.. they hell with everyone else, right?
Not to mention that, whilst people could sit in their house and “do art”.. most people like company and community – another thing provided by the service you’ve taken such objection to. Making a big swing I’d assume it’s down to people generally not being all that keen on your company.
Bye bye, little man.
Peter sweety. That’s pathetic, even by your low standards.
Great comeback, Pete.
Mr Checksfield ‘- Do you have plans to release a follow-up book by you called Thanet Revealed – A photographic journey ? If so when ?
Email me.