Exhibition Opening - Turner Contemporary - Forward - Weds, 30th June 2010

A collaborative exhibition by 17 local residents on a 12 week exploration in art and design, developing practical skills and learning about the role of cultural organisations in the community. Cultural Ambassadors is a partnership project led by University for the Creative Arts and Turner Contemporary.

You are invited to the opening – this Wednesday 30 June 2010, 6-8pm
Droit House, Stone Pier, Margate CT9 1HB

Forward will be open to the public from 1 July to 8 August 2010, Wed to Sun, 10am-5pm.
Free entry
www.turnercontemporary.org

Turner Contemporary and University for the Creative Arts are delighted to present Forward, an exhibition made by seventeen adults who live in Thanet and are involved in the Cultural Ambassadors programme. Cultural Ambassadors first started six years ago and is designed to offer local people an opportunity to get involved in the cultural regeneration of their area.

During this twelve week accredited course this year’s Cultural Ambassadors have gained practical skills through artist led workshops, visited galleries in London and explored new ways of looking at, discussing and making art. These new experiences have informed their creativity and forged strong bonds among the group, which we hope will continue long after this exhibition has ended. Forward shows the talent and variety in the individuals’ work, and aims to illustrate the journey the Ambassadors have taken to get here.

During the six years that Cultural Ambassadors has been running we have had many participants go on to enter the Access course and continue onto the part time Fine Art BA degree at UCA, three of which have been instrumental in supporting this years ambassadors.

Another Cultural Ambassador has gone on to work for Turner Contemporary and is now an employee of GroundworkWalkie Talkie scheme. Also a participant from last years’ course has had her artwork included at Tate Modern as part of their tenth birthday event called “No Soul for Sale”

“I’ve always wanted to explore art further, this has opened my eyes to the whole raft of possibilities” Perry Gregory Cultural Ambassador 2010

Cultural Ambassadors has been developed by Turner Contemporary and University for the Creative Arts (UCA) Widening Participation Department and this year’s programme has been delivered by artist educators Kevin Jones and Sara Wicks from UCA