Kent's Cultural Olympiad
In the build up to the Olympics and Paralympics Games in 2012, events and activities are being held throughout the country to celebrate British and international culture. Kent is no exception to this, and has arranged events and activities that will celebrate Kent's unique culture, through shows of heritage, science, art, theatre and the environment.
Kent Cultural Baton
The Kent Cultural Baton is a unique mobile piece of artwork designed by Nicole Mollett that travels around Kent in the build up to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympics' Games. At each location the 1950s American airstream caravan or ‘Travelling Pod' offers a series of artist led workshops and events, which will engage visitors to get involved in the baton and share their stories on there local area. Through this, the baton will highlight the hidden and lost places of Kent through drawing, photography, film and sound that will culminate in the creation of an alternative and interactive ‘Map of Kent'. With this new perception of Kent, people will be inspired to explore and reflect on what makes their local area unique in the lead up to 2012. For more information on Kent's Cultural Baton please visit www.kentculturalbaton.com.
Tracey Emin exhibition at the Turner Contemporary 26th May 2012 - 23rd September 2012
The world famous Tracy Emin, will have her first major exhibition "She Lay Down Deep Beneath The Sea" on display at the Turner Contemporary in her hometown of Margate, as part of the 2012 Festival. Tracey Emin is returning to the place that whilst growing up provided her with the inspiration for many of her most famous pieces of art, including "My Bed" and "Temple of Diana". The exhibition includes new and existing drawings, monoprints, sculptures and neon artwork pieces that explore themes of love, sensuality and romanticism. The gallery will also include works that follow the same erotic central themes from JMW Turner and Auguste Rodin, whose sculpture 'The Kiss' is also on show at Turner Contemporary until 2nd September 2012.
Tracey Emin has also been announced as one of the twelve artists chosen to design an official London 2012 poster. We are delighted that one of Kent's very own artists is going to be an ambassador for the Cultural Olympics.
Dickens 2012
To celebrate the bicentenary of the birth of Charles Dickens, one of Britain's most famous and best loved authors, Kent will be celebrating the event with a number of activities that will explore Dickens various connections with the county. Visitors will get the opportunity to travel back in time to experience the county that Dickens lived and worked in and share in the same passion he had for Kent. Although a writer from the Victorian era, Dickens remains a massive contemporary influence throughout the world and his writings continue to inspire film, TV, art, literature, and academia. Dickens 2012 sees a rich and diverse programme of events taking place in the run up and throughout the whole of 2012.
To discover more about Dickens 2012 and the events planned for the Bicentenary celebrations please click here.
Salutations Garden Project
Fine ceramic artist, Paul Cummins will be holding one of his world famous exhibitions at the Secret Gardens of Sandwich. Sandwich has been chosen along with several other venues to host the exhibition over the summer, because of their historical and social significance. Paul's work is designed to celebrate the quintessentially-British love of flowers. His installation at The Secret Gardens features 1,000 tulips, and can be seen from May 2012.
Dover Live Site
The Dover Live Site (Dover Big Screen) will provide a focal point, allowing residents and visitors the opportunity to come together and enjoy the wide range of cultural, sporting and Olympic related events throughout the Summer 2012.
Salue: Garden of England Art Installation at the Stour Valley Arts Gallery, 5th May - 9th June
Salue - meaning ‘welcome' - was a Kent schools' project in celebration of the Olympic and Paralympic values. Eleven schools from across Kent have been involved in the Kent 2012 Campaign's 'Salue: Garden of England' project. Each school has worked collaboratively with two Animate Arts artists to design and construct a life-sized garden, made entirely from paper and card!
This garden will be on exhibition at the Stour Valley Arts Gallery alongside the famous Jon Adams, who's exhibition is based around the Cultural Olympiad and ties in nicely with the Olympic and Paralympic theme of the 'Salue' Garden, whilst showing how the schools of Kent have been engaging with the Olympic and Paralympic values. The exhibition will be on show in the Stour Valley Arts Gallery, Elwick Road, Ashford, TN23 1NR.
The Boat Project
As part of the Cultural Olympiad an art boat is currently under construction, after it was chosen as the winning commission for the South East as part of the Artists Taking the Lead series. The project is using the latest yatch building methods to turn wooden objects, donated by people from the South East, into a seaworthy archive of stories and memories. 1,200 people donated an wooden item along with its story in order to construct a seafaring record of our lives.
The boat will sail the coast of Kent and Sussex as part of the Cultural Olympiad stopping off in towns for a bespoke festival of events to celebrate the boats arrival and mooring. Hastings (6-8 July) and Margate (13-16 July) are two towns the boat will stop in, although you might see it along the coast at Dover, Folkestone, Ramsgate and Gravesend. The boat is due to be launched on the 7th May 2012, 11am-3pm. For more information click here.
Other Cultural Events in Kent
All over the county events are being held to celebrate Kent's cultural heritage. In Broadstairs a week of song, dance and music is taking place as part of Folk Week, while Whistable is holding a Biennale and Canterbury is hosting a three day festival known as ‘Lounge on the Farm'. So whatever part of Kent you may live in, events like these will not be far away, so take this opportunity to join your community in celebrating Kent's Cultural Olympiad!
