Art
Society
Nature
Our theme of Art, Society, Nature, aims to provide socially engaged and sustainability-driven programmes, delivered through knowledge sharing, collaboration and co-creation, peer-to-peer learning, sharing of space and technical facilities and thus enabling creative practitioners to realise their potential in a critically reflective way.

Situated across a four storey former Woolworths Building that had stood empty since 2008, The Margate School by its very nature has become a new hub for innovation and creativity in the town of Margate and plays an influential part in the story of Margate’s regeneration.
Since opening our doors in June 2019, we have welcomed over 16,000 visitors each year to a wide range of creative events, conferences and exhibitions, supporting artists from diverse and local communities, children and adults with special needs, designers, researchers and professionals.
We are rooted in community and connect nationally and internationally; we reach out through our academic programmes, events, workshops, residencies, guest lectures and exhibitions. Much of our provision is subsidised in support of Margate and its diverse creative and wider communities.
The Margate School CIO
The Margate School CIO is a not-for-profit charitable incorporated organisation (CIO) established to support social and environmental justice within The Margate School community.
The Margate School CIO has been established for the public benefit, aiming to support the work of The Margate School through various means, such as developing and supporting studios, galleries, and providing financial aid to those in need.
The Margate School CIO was approved by the Charity Commission on 7 June 2023. This Association Charity is dedicated to aiding the TMS community by managing donations and enhancing access to funding opportunities. It sets the foundation for TMS to develop a democratically controlled charity, aligning with the School's values and contributing to making all provisions more financially accessible.
The Margate School CIO Trustees

James Shea, Chair
James is an experienced arts and cultural management consultant, supporting the strategic, financial and creative development of organisations, individuals and initiatives in the arts and cultural sector. At James Shea Consulting CIC he delivers business planning, change management and project management across the UK. Through tailor-made packages, James works with individual artists, creative businesses, local authorities and national funding agencies across artform disciplines, believing that organisations succeed best by investing in their people and embracing their client groups. James worked previously at Arts Council England on supporting the development of arts-led organisations and a significant built infrastructure for the visual arts in the south east of England.

Richard Gardner
Award winning artist, graphic designer and moving image producer, Richard has worked internationally across Europe, the USA and the UK both as an independent and for socially and environmentally engaged broadcast channels. His work encompasses motion graphics, branding and live-action direction. Richard lived and worked in Los Angeles for over a decade where he was a founding member of The Documentary Channel, the pioneering US cable network. He designed and originated motion graphics for US companies including a theatrical trailer for the 2002 Academy Awards, cultural projects for museums such as the Skirball Institute and content graphics for Oscar winning documentary filmmakers. Richard has strong connections in Kent, London and south east England and is an alumnus of (the then) Maidstone College of Art.

Gillian Youngs
Gillian has a leadership background in media, entrepreneurial business and higher education, working across Europe, the USA, Africa and East Asia. She has international networks are concentrated in research, digital innovation, and social entrepreneurship. She led the development of one of the first MA programmes related to the Internet and believes she was the first woman in the UK to be appointed as a Professor of Digital Economy in 2010. In addition to several major reports, Gillian has published monographs, edited and co-edited books, as well as journal articles and chapters. Her work has focused mainly on globalisation and digital and creative economy as well as feminist theory and women.

Denise Roudette
Denise is a Buddhist, practicing for 38years. For the past eight years Denise worked in a large Wembley Primary school as Medical Welfare and Attendance Officer, this included working with vulnerable and refugee children their families and outside agencies. Denise started her working life as a Tour Manager in UK and Europe and a bass player where she gained many years’ experience in all aspects of performance and recording studios. She also had a market stall in Club Row and Portobello Market, specialising in Bakelite. Securing a lease on an old tea warehouse in Wapping Denise and group of musicians qualified for five-year funding package from the Docklands Regeneration Fund to cover the rent ....and so began the Musicians Academy, the first ever vocational music school of its kind in the UK (and before Paul McCartney's music school in Liverpool!)! Later it became the London Music School and over the fifteen years they managed to maintain independent status and develop our own band focused, live performance curriculum.

Hugo Fenwick
Hugo Fenwick is the trading director of the Fenwick department store, which is a national department store chain. Hugo was trained as a Chartered Accountant with Ernst & Young London and has extensive experience in capital projects. In 2014/15 Hugo was appointed as High Sheriff of Kent. Hugo sponsored a dinner in Margate in March 2015 to local, regional and French stakeholders in support of TMS.

Uwe Derksen
Over 25 years of experience in education, developing entrepreneurship programmes for students and adult learners in the community and the creative sector. Former member of the Board of Governors at the University for the Creative Arts and Assistant Director for Research of the University for the Creative Arts. Before then Assistant Director of the Centre for Enterprise and Business Development and Director of e-Novate Consultancy Ltd. Initiator and founding member, Director and Board Director of The Margate School.

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Image credit: David Babaian