East Kent has been chosen as one of 16 places across England to receive a significant investment as part of the £20million Lottery funded Great Place Scheme, a partnership between Arts Council England, Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and Historic England.
The £1,489,225 grant will support Pioneering Places, an ambitious project that will explore heritage, develop civic pride and connect artists and communities, and involve Turner Contemporary working with Ramsgate pupils.
The project will be delivered through a partnership between Turner Contemporary, the Creative Foundation and Canterbury City Council, overseen by the Cultural Transformation Board.
Turner Contemporary will also work with Thanet District Council and the community, including the primary school children, to deliver Pioneering Places – with a focus on Ramsgate Harbour.
Children will work with planners, designers, artists, historians and a philosopher. They will commission an artist to make a major artwork and a designer to create new interpretations for a site, driven by their own ideas, interests, historical research and community engagement.
Supported by Turner Contemporary’s expertise the aim is for Pioneering Places to bring the community together, inspiring pride and active citizenship and making Ramsgate an even better place to live, work and visit.
The projects in Folkestone, Thanet and Canterbury, will be led by the partnership organisations that will also work with Dover groups.
The project will run over a three-year period.
‘Positive’
Clive Stevens, Chair of Turner Contemporary said:“Turner Contemporary has led the way in supporting children to lead inspiring change through the arts in their community. I am very excited that through this significant investment in our work, by working in partnership, we will now be able to collaborate with children in Ramsgate to make a positive and monumental impact.”
‘Jobs’
Rob Kenyon, Director of Community Services at Thanet District Council, said:“Thanet is one of the leading cultural hubs in the UK and our creative sector has grown by 84% in the past four years.
“The council, working with partners like Turner Contemporary, is committed to putting culture at the heart of its community and its regeneration and is delighted that Ramsgate is part of Pioneering Places. The investment will act as a catalyst for the town’s vibrant and growing cultural scene, bringing with it greater community cohesion, educational attainment and a positive impact on jobs, health and wellbeing.”
‘Potential’
Cllr Lin Fairbrass, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Community Services, added:“It is fantastic that the Great Place programme has seen the potential that Thanet and East Kent has to offer the cultural world. I’m delighted that Arts Council England, Heritage Lottery Fund and Heritage England are going to make a considerable investment in culture focused on Ramsgate in Thanet. We are thrilled for the whole East Kent area.”