An Art-Line for Margate—Diverse Artist Strand
The Margate School applied for the Arts Council England Emergency Response Fund in order to support the areas of work we have been developing, involve local artists in these areas of interest and create a positive legacy for Margate.
We recognise that the current crisis is a big challenge for many artists, and that this project may be an opportunity through the available fee, the support we can provide and networking as well as the nature of the project itself, for the chosen artist to create a further stepping stone towards positively moving beyond the crisis.
As mentioned above over the last year we have worked with many Margate-based and regional artists, many of them with a multicultural background, giving them an opportunity to show-case their work. We recognise the diversity and amazing talent residing in Margate and in
our region. We therefore feel that one area to explore curatorially will be the work of this diverse artist community.
Carla Knight
Carla is a creator who works with images and words. Guided by nature and humanity, to understand and share experience of this existence.
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She is interested in how our history and our creativity can lead us to our truth. How or vulnerability can be our ultimate strength.
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Having lived in the North and South of England growing up, followed by over a decade experimenting and grafting in London, she’s emerged on the other side of an industrial tunnel to drop back into being in Thanet.
The constant throughout this journey has been the depth and rawness of incredible humans, and the arms of the earth. These are what feed and drive Carla’s work and keep her making. This project is a chance to focus attention to localise these elements, to uncover and explore with quiet and unknown creators.
Oliver Seager
Oliver is a skilled musician with diverse experience within the music business, including extensive knowledge of composing, producing and performing. He has his own recording studio and has released music on various independent record labels. Together with colleagues, he has assisted with the organisation of numerous events and regularly performs at diverse music venues including world-class music settings such as The Roundhouse (Camden, London).
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Oliver strongly believes in the power that music holds in helping young peoples’ emotional well-being. With this in mind, alongside his other commitments, he also undertakes freelance music technology and production work and intergeneration community projects. He has delivered over a hundred music workshops in conjunction with schools, charities and specialist companies. These sessions have contributed in various ways towards supporting vulnerable groups in our community, from asylum-seekers to those with special educational needs such as autism.
Hidden Voices
This Diverse Artists strand sees visual and spoken word artist Carla Knight, and music producer Oliver Seager working alongside each other to find and share the stories of diverse and often hidden voices in Margate and surrounding areas.
Through a process of building trusting relationships to enabling the sharing of these stories, each featured artist hopes to offer insight, inspiration and the potential for others to consider themselves what it is to be a creative person in Thanet.
Oliver has created a documentary short exploring art and music created during Covid-19. The short film titled ‘The Art Behind the Mask’ showcases talented artists and explores their personal experiences, while celebrating art created during this pandemic.
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​These stories and insights from these featured artists will be available via film, audio and visual offerings. There is hope to enable the possibility for aspects of this exhibition to be shared with community groups, and with individuals who may not be able to visit a physical exhibition or to engage online.
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​The core aims of the diverse artist strand are to offer creative individuals a safe space to delve into why they make art and what their creative identities might be. And to offer the audience permission to be creative themselves. This strand encourages the removal of barriers and in turn this gives ourselves permission to be creative.
