The Margate School is thrilled to be included in the Mayor of Margate Community Awards
It’s been 10 years since the last Mayor of Margate Awards and Mayor Rob Yates has certainly made up for the missing years by hosting a wonderful picnic at The Sunken Gardens in Westbrook and presenting Mayor’s Community Awards to 48 worthy Margate organisations.
The Margate School were thrilled to be included in the Awards and to be recognised for the contribution made to community in the town and honoured to be amongst such brilliant organisations.
Since opening the doors in June 2019, TMS has become a hub for innovation and creativity. Now deeply rooted in the community and connected nationally and internationally, we reach out through our community learning programmes, academic programmes, events, workshops, residencies, guest lectures and exhibitions. Much of the provision is subsidised, initially through grant funding and through provision of affordable studio, gallery and space hire, sponsorship and philanthropy and ongoing fundraising, including in 2023 a Crowdfunder campaign, a benefit musical gig and a photography exhibition, future fundraising includes sales of artwork donated by artists who support TMS and it’s ethos.
As well as offering reduced cost courses, as TMS believe that financial situation should not be a barrier to education, recent artists and groups that have been supported are Leave No Doubt, an exhibition of photographs from the Ukraine war by Krisztián Elek; POW Thanet; Thanet Young Artists Festival, a show of 750 paintings from all year groups across 39 Thanet schools; Margate Pride; East Kent Mind; and most currently in the gallery the joyous exhibition 'Proud 2 Create' which represents a group of Deaf, Autistic and Neurodivergent artists supported by Sandra Hampton of Art4All.
Sandra Hampton of Art4All says: “We’ve benefitted greatly from the support of TMS over the past four years. Through our exhibitions with them we have been able to have greater exposure to the wider community and have seen our works leave TMS to go to Australia, Belgium and many walls across the UK. We would not have had similar exposure without the ongoing and much appreciated support of TMS.”
Rob Yates, Mayor of Margate says: “ As Mayor of Margate, it gives me so much joy to be associated with the numerous community groups who are the heart of our Town.
“It has been my pleasure and privilege to personally thank these groups, a lot of whom work without the recognition they deserve."
Uwe Derksen of The Margate School says: “ The Margate School is in and for Margate, inspired by Margate’s past and passionate about the future.”
We would also like to thank Clayspace for the beautiful Star Awards. But the biggest thanks go to the TMS community committed to continue to make our School a success.