Primary pupils will unveil art installations at four neglected Margate sites

Follow the art installation trail

Art installations created by 80 children at four neglected sites in Margate will be unveiled next month.

The artworks are the result of an 18-month project between Turner Contemporary and four primary schools called Art Inspiring Change.

Pupils have been encouraged to find their voices, take the lead and show how they think Margate should be regenerated through working with artists, Thanet District Council, the team at Turner Contemporary, a philosopher and the wider community.

The installations

There are four artworks on four separate plots by four sets of Young Art Leaders from four primary schools – Holy Trinity & St John’s Primary School, Northdown Primary School, Palm Bay Primary School and Salmestone Primary School

The locations stretch from one end of Margate to the other and there is a set walking trail if you want to visit them all.

On July 8, at each site there will be singing, music and art and craft workshops from 11am to 3pm when a drummer will round up the crowd at each site and lead everyone, artworks in hand, towards Turner Contemporary to join up with the other schools for final celebrations.

The event will end by 4.30pm.

Meeting Phyllida Barlow

Ahead of the unveiling some of the youngsters, aged 4 to 11,met artist Phyllida Barlow, who is representing Britain at the 2017 Venice Biennale, one of the art world’s most prestigious events, in May.

As Barlow’s work is exhibited at Turner Contemporary this summer, the Young Art Leaders travelled to her studio to compare notes on creativity.  The studio is filled with towering sculptures in progress, colourful remnants and avenues of unshapely cement.

The Young Art Leaders questioned Barlow about her practice with ideas like “where do you get your titles from?” They also posed bigger, surprising challenges like “if your artwork could talk what would it say?” and “is a sculpture still a sculpture if it’s in a cupboard?” Taking a moment to think, Barlow answered warmly; “A sculpture in a cupboard is an extraordinary thing – it’s something that’s taking over but it’s not a pair of shoes and it’s not pots and pans –  it’s a not thing!”

Phyllida Barlow’s work is on display at Turner Contemporary until September 24 as part of the Every Day is a New Day exhibition.