Folkestone has a rich history of creativity; the Creative Quarter bringing new art and imaginative ideas to the local people.
With thanks to EKC Folkestone College.
Folkestone has a rich history of creativity, with the Creative Quarter bringing new art and imaginative ideas to the local community. On Friday 28 November, Level 3 Art and Design students from EKC Folkestone College’s Creative and Design department had the opportunity to showcase their work at their very own exhibition.
Our Art, Our Place, Our Voice is a national programme created by Art UK which aims to connect young people with the art on their doorsteps. This exhibition was the result of a collaborative programme between Art UK, Creative Folkestone, and Art and Design students from East Kent College's Folkestone Campus.
Funded by The Big Give, and supported by Art UK and supported by Creative Folkestone, this exciting project celebrates creativity, curiosity, and the unique voices of young artists engaging with local arts and culture.
The exhibition features responses from East Kent College students to Creative Folkestone’s Artwork Collection and Folkestone Triennial 2025. The students explore what inspires them, what captures their imagination, and how they interpret both the Collection and the public artworks around Folkestone.
The resulting artworks offer fresh, personal perspectives on the town’s artistic landscape, giving visitors a chance to see Folkestone through the eyes of emerging artists.
The artists were supported by friends, family and their lecturers, who expressed their appreciation for the pieces on display, with one grandparent commenting, “it’s really impressive, I feel really proud of our granddaughter.”
The idea of the exhibition was for students to explore and directly respond to public art collections, allowing them to understand the full creative process and present their imaginative ideas in a public space.
Jacqui Taylor, Programme Director of Art and Design, commented: “This is a fantastic opportunity for our students to work with a professional artist, Rob McDonald, and see their work on display. They worked with Rob over a few research sessions but only had today to work on their pieces, so I feel really proud of what they have produced.
“Many of the students with art on display have never had the opportunity to visit an art gallery or exhibition. It is wonderful to see how engaged they have been throughout the process.”
Tania McCormack from Creative Folkestone, Rob McDonald lead artist for the project, Jacqui Taylor programme Director, and Tina Corri Head of Learning at ArtUK all enjoyed seeing the students work displayed.
Tania McCormack from Creative Folkestone, Rob McDonald, lead artist for the project, Jacqui Taylor, Programme Director, and Tina Corri, Head of Learning at ArtUK, all enjoyed seeing the students’ work displayed.
The students worked with local artist Rob McDonald to explore the local area, learn more about existing artworks in Folkestone and ignite new ideas inspired by this year’s instalment of the Folkestone Triennial.
During the gallery event, students Reece and Lilly shared their experiences of the project. Reece explained: “As I went around and saw the Triennial artwork, I started to understand how everyone else sees Folkestone, so I opened my eyes up a bit more to the cool parts of the area I’ve grown up in. Seeing all the local art really inspired the work we created.
“I think the art shows that we are proud of where we study – it was great to see it all come together.”
Students Reece and Lucy feeling proud of their fantastic artwork, featured in the exhibition.
Artist Rob McDonald was an integral part of the process, working with the students over three sessions including tours, talks and workshops, helping to nurture the young artists to think creatively and investigate new concepts.
Rob said: “This project is about connecting 16–19-year-olds with public commissioned artwork. Working in a professional studio environment, in a team, and bringing their ideas to life has been a real challenge for them, but also a rewarding one. At its heart, it’s about engagement with those who might not usually connect with contemporary art.”
This was an incredible opportunity for the Creative and Design students. The exhibition was a real success and highlighted the talent and ambition of the next generation of creative voices in Folkestone.