Art Inspiring Change The story so far
“Go to Margate and marvel... something quite magical has taken place.” Sir Peter Bazalgette, Chair Arts Council England
At Turner Contemporary, we believe that art can truly inspire change. We’re committed to making world-class art accessible to everyone. The gallery is located in Margate, a seaside town in East Kent that had declined as a tourist destination. The gallery’s presence has been a catalyst for the town’s transformation. From the day the gallery opened, people have flocked to the town, from the local area, nation-wide and from abroad. In August 2013, we welcomed our millionth visitor, several years before target. In 2013 alone we welcomed 320,000 people, and 90% of our visitors rate their visit to Turner Contemporary as ‘excellent’ or ‘good’. Margate has become a must-see destination for visitors. The town was listed in the Rough Guide’s Top 10 Travel Hotlist for 2013 and Easyjet’s best reasons to visit the UK.
“Margate now offers much more.” Rough Guide
So far, we’ve contributed £30million into the local economy through tourism and inward investment. Over 35 new businesses have opened in the town. You can feel a palpable change in Margate, a renewed vibrancy, inspired by the gallery’s presence. Learning is at the heart of what we do. From school groups and teacher training to community groups, families and visitors, we work hard to make art open, relevant and fulfilling for all. We believe that everyone can embrace their curiosity and discover different ways of seeing, thinking and learning. Our 3rd birthday in 2014 marks a time for reflection and opportunities to develop ambitious new plans and projects. By supporting the local economy, encouraging civic pride and offering exceptional learning opportunities for everyone, we’ve started to create real change. We want you to be a part of that journey.
“Turner Contemporary has put this neglected seaside resort back on the map.” The Times, Cool Weekend Guide
Images: Cover, Turner Contemporary. Photo Nick Gutteridge / Left, Turner Contemporary. Photo Nick Gutteridge
1.2 million visits in 3 years (320,000 visits in 2013) 35,000 visitors had never been to a gallery before (10,000 in 2013) ÂŁ30m generated for the local economy 130 jobs supported
Image: Curiosity: Art and the Pleasures of Knowing, installation view at Turner Contemporary. Photo Manu Palomeque
World-class art and artists
“I never imagined that my family and grandchildren would have the opportunity to walk into a local gallery to view world-class art. Now they do.” Local resident
Turner Contemporary brings world-class art and artists to Kent. We’re an international gallery in Margate, showcasing the best in contemporary art alongside important historical works through our rolling programme of temporary exhibitions, giving visitors new and inspiring ways to experience art. 2013 highlights — Solo exhibitions by leading contemporary artists including Rosa Barba: Subject to Constant Change, Dorothy Cross: Connemara, Maria Nepomuceno: Tempo para Respirar — Display of influential twentieth-century artists including a solo show Carl Andre: Mass and Matter, and Juan Munoz’s Sunley Gallery installation Conversation Piece III — Significant historical exhibitions including Turner and Constable: Sketching from Nature — The gallery turned into a cabinet of curiosities for Curiosity: Art and the Pleasures of Knowing which brought museum objects and contemporary artworks together in a dynamic display, including works by Leonardo da Vinci, the Horniman Museum’s famous oversized walrus and works by Tacita Dean, Katie Paterson and Gerard Byrne — Offsite public installation by Dan Graham on our terrace
To engage visitors deeper with the art we show, our public programme offers a range of events, talks, dance, family activities and more. 2013 highlights — Rosa Barba in conversation — To hand performance by Siobhan Davies Dance — Maurice Davies’ Turner on Perspective dramatisation with Alastair Sooke — Dorothy Cross in conversation with curator Brian Dillon — Lachrymose choral salute conceived by Tania Holland Williams and composed by Jon Hering — A range of regular artist-led creative activities for all ages Turner Contemporary belongs to the Plus Tate group of 18 UK museums and galleries. Working together to exchange ideas, knowledge, skills and resources, as well as programmes and collections, the Plus Tate partners, facilitated by Tate, broaden and deepen engagement in modern and contemporary art across the country. Images (left to right): To hand at Turner Contemporary. Photo Manu Palomeque / Learning at Turner Contemporary. Photo Jess Limbrick / Dorothy Cross: Connemara, installation view at Turner Contemporary. Photo Manu Palomeque / Curiosity: Art and the Pleasures of Knowing, installation view at Turner Contemporary. Photo Manu Palomeque / Juan Muñoz, Conversation Piece III, installation view at Turner Contemporary. Photo Manu Palomeque
We are bringing art to a totally new audience – 3% of our visitors had never been to a gallery before. 45,000 adults and children have taken part in our learning programme of events, inspiring the next generation of art lovers 15% of our visitors are families Over 15,000 (5300 in 2013) visitors have engaged in our public programme of performance, film screenings, talks and tours.
Image: Curiosity: Art and the Pleasures of Knowing, installation view at Turner Contemporary. Photo Jess Limbrick
Transforming lives
We are determined that every person we engage with has a unique and meaningful experience with art, here at Turner Contemporary. 2013 highlights — We are on track to engage with every secondary school in Kent — 90 children and young people (aged 5 to 16) are working with us to become arts leaders through the Inspire Programme. They will inspire a further 540 children to get involved in cultural activity
“Turner Contemporary has helped me to learn and grow” Harley Russell, Youth Navigator
“As a result of the Youth Navigator project we have had students whose interest in art has completely doubled. They have taken art at GCSE and these are students who wouldn’t have actually done it.” Andy Somers, Principal, Hartsdown Academy, Margate
— Through our ground-breaking Youth Navigators programme we have trained over 160 secondary school pupils to have conversations with adults and other young people about art. The programme helps young people develop their communication skills and build confidence — Our intergenerational group Blank Canvas has taken part in a Europeanwide exchange project
Images (left to right): Learning at Turner Contemporary. Photo Benedict Johnson / Schools at Turner Contemporary. Photo Jess Limbrick / Conversations at Turner Contemporary. Photo Benedict Johnson / Blank Canvas
Our Stories
From Youth Navigator to Art31 Harley Russell describes herself as a “headstrong 17 year old gal” who progressed through Turner Contemporary’s Youth Navigator programme. She is now a lead voice in the exciting Kent-wide ART 31 project. “I think it is lovely to have young people in the gallery, dominating the conversations because when talking about art, you can’t be wrong; a sense of freedom is handed to us. Another thing which gave me opportunities to think about art from more than one angle was the collaborative project between all art forms, ART31. Something I’m still involved in and am going to take further with visual arts as my starting point.
Studio Group Helder Clara is an artist based in Margate. In 2012 he joined our Studio Group of 30 East Kent artists and makers, who worked with Brazilian artist Maria Nepomuceno to create her work Tempo para Respirar which was on display in the Sunley Gallery from 14 September 2012 – 17 March 2013. Helder was inspired by Maria, who works with similar materials, and formed a close bond with her. When the work left Margate in 2013 and travelled to Brazil to go on display in Rio de Janeiro, Helder travelled too and helped Maria install the work at the Museum of Modern Art. The Studio Group has continued beyond the Nepomuceno project and the group is planning its next art installation based on Helder’s own creative practice. “Through working with Maria I have come to fully appreciate how important collaboration is and particularly collaboration in the community in which we live. My own work developed with the interaction of the group. I am amazed by the way a community was created around the work. The work while acting as a focal point supported conversation, intimacy and a goal to achieve.”
The support from Turner Contemporary has been fantastic, the Learning Team has provided great opportunities for someone like me, a passionate ambitious art student and I couldn’t be more grateful for all these experiences.” Starting with a Blank Canvas Christina Crittenden is one of the original members of Blank Canvas, an intergenerational group who meet twice a month to discuss and create art. Blank Canvas has been running over a number of years now and in 2012/13 joined a Europeanwide exchange project with groups from Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Germany and Poland. Christina successfully applied to make the trip to Ostend in Belgium. “I had a fabulous time and now I really want to travel more. One of the big things about the trip was that all of the people, from all of the countries think the same way we do. Seeing their artwork and hearing them was absolutely fantastic.”
Images: Above, Youth Navigators. Photo Manu Palomeque / Right, Studio Group with Maria Nepomuceno. Photo Dan Bass
Support
“The Turner effect is really being felt – we’ve noticed a massive rise in footfall, and not just at peak times. We get lots of customers from London but also many local people who have never been to this part of Margate.” Shop owner
Art Inspiring Change Your support is key for us to continue transforming lives and Margate. We’re raising vital funds as part of a £1million Catalyst Endowment campaign. Every £1 we raise will be matched by government funding from Arts Council England and Department of Culture Media and Sport. We’ve raised two thirds of the money so far, but need your help to achieve the rest. The funding will ensure we can do even more for Margate and our visitors, and ensure our long-term presence and impact. To donate visit turnercontemporary/ support or call 01843 233000
Images: Right, Turner and Constable: Sketching from Nature, installation view at Turner Contemporary. Photo Manu Palomeque / Back cover, Margate seafront. Photo Thanet Tourism Design: weareunlimited.co.uk
Thank you
Registered Office: Turner Contemporary Rendezvous, Margate, Kent, CT9 1HG Telephone: 01843 233000 turnercontemporary.org Registered Charity Number: 1129974
Turner Contemporary is a registered charity and is governed by a Board of Trustees. Our Chair John Kampfner works tirelessly on behalf of the organisation as do all our Trustees.
Thank you We would like to thank all of our supporters: The Trustees Mr J P Kampfner Chair Mr C R Stevens Vice Chairman Mr D L Brazier Ms T F Dillon Mr F Fitzgibbon Ms L Ford Ms H E Hayes Mr R K F Keating Sir D G Manning Dr E Stern Mr N G Webster Mr J Wilmott
Patrons Stuart Atkinson and Kiel Shaw Nigel and Jenny Cartwright Geoffrey Berger Thomas Croft Mary Godden John Kampfner and Lucy Ash Mary Moore Sir Graeme Odgers Ian Odgers Richard Oldfield Geoff and Janine Quinn Thea Scott Clive Stevens John and Kati Westwood Paul Wong and Martin Johnson
Corporate Support Aspen Re Betteridge & Milsom Chapel Down Winery Crown Fine Art Daler and Rowney Farrow and Ball Gagosian Investaco Public and Lottery Funding London Array Arts Council England Manston Airport Department of Business, Sadie Coles Innovation and Skills Sands Hotel Institut Français Shepherd Neame Kent County Council Timothy Taylor Gallery South East England WW Martin Development Agency Thanet District Council Trusts and Foundations University of the Art Fund Creative Arts Culture Ireland Esmée Fairbairn Foundation Frankenthaler Foundation Grundtvig
Henry Moore Foundation Idlewild Trust Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen Interreg IVA LankellyChase Foundation Rayne Foundation Terra Foundation Thanet Works Visiting Arts Youth Music Catalyst Endowment Arts Council England Department Culture, Media and Sport Catalyst Endowment Donors Tamsin Dillon Joylon V Drury and Christine Drury Helen Hayes John Kampfner and Lucy Ash Mary Moore Victoria Pomery Peter Selman Clive Stevens Robin Vousden Neil Webster John Westwood Jonathan Wilmot HR Pratt Boorman Family Foundation Roger De Haan Charitable Trust Founding Supporters Alan Willett Foundation Bernard Sunley Charitable Foundation Clore Duffield Foundation Foyle Foundation
Gallagher Group Ltd Hazel Wood Charitable Trust HR Pratt Boorman Family Foundation John S Cohen Foundation Monument Trust Roger de Haan Charitable Trust School of Arts, University of Kent Shepherd Neame Graham and Anita Alexander Stuart Atkinson and Kiel Shaw Michael and Georgina Djanogly Tracey Emin John Erle-Drax Wendy Fisher Francis and Camilla Fitzgibbon Penny Govett Robin Haddon and Carol Wilcox Ben Jupp and Helen Hayes Daniel and Gry Katz Catherine and David Manning Sir Graeme Odgers Richard Oldfield and Amicia de Moubray Victoria Pomery John and Kay Shipton Emma Soames Tim and Sophia Steel Sunley Family Juliette Tadgell Sir Christopher and Lady Wates And those who wish to remain anonymous