We bring communities together to engage with art and ideas

Charivari Day 2025 - Beside the Seaside photos Matt Rowe

Charivari preparations include; artist prototyping costumes..

…young people’s carnival workshops…

…teachers Charivari masterclass…

…Charivari Day 2025, Folkestone street carnival on 12th July

Throughout September 2025, Strange Cargo gallery was home to our exhibition Thirty. Celebrating three decades of our participatory art projects through our archive of posters, video, photographs, objects, artworks and the paraphernalia of 30 years of developing our arts practice. Pride of place was taken by 3 bespoke rugs, designed by Simon Bolton, Scarlett Rickard and Greg Stobbs, each celebrating a decade of our work. Many hundreds of visitors came though the exhibition, enjoying the opportunity to revisit some of the creative projects that have helped shape the cultural identify of the region.

Photo: Matt Rowe

Auction success

As part of our 30th exhibition, in our adjoining gallery an exhibition of artworks generously donated by artists to support Strange Cargo was on display in a fundraising auction. The crowd of excited bidders gathered at the gallery on the evening of 4th October, where auctioneer Nick Varian oversaw the auction countdown of the sale of the artworks; which ultimately raised nearly £6000 in support of Strange Cargo’s ongoing work.

Huge thanks to all the artists that donated artworks including Adam Hogarth, Adam Shield, Alice Hartley, Beth Kettel, Bob & Roberta Smith, Brian Griffiths, Brigitte Orasinski, Charles Newington, Charley Vines, Clara Hastrup, Colin Booth, Danny Rolph, David Remfry, Dominic Watson, Elliot Dodd, Eileen Cooper, Emily Tull, Emma Cousin, Frank Pudney, Greg Stobbs, Glen Pudwin, Jyll Bradley, Lolly Adams, Kate Knight, Lucy Evetts, Liv Pennington, Leigh Clarke, Malcolm Allen, Oona Grimes, Richard Lockett, Richie Moment, Romeo Gatt, Saelia Aparicio, Thomas Whittle, Thomas Shedden, Wayne Reeves, Vince Lloyd, Thurle Wright, Julian Rowe, Zara Hussain, Sarah Pickstone, Eden and Andrew Kotting, Matt Calderwood, Eden and Andrew Kotting, Hannah Bays, Jessica Voorsanger, Sara Trillo, Ceri Elliston, Harriet Bowman, Alice Hewitt, Dan Bass and to everyone that bid on the works for sale. Photo: Matt Rowe.

So often participation happens without being able to capture what people involved think about it. We decided to give people the chance tell us just that by creating a survey to help us understand what had been the most successful projects across our 30 years. We had nearly 300 responses and to say thank you, everyone that took part was entered into a free prize draw to win one of these beautiful rugs, each designed by a talented artist and all of whom have been very closely involved with us across the decades. Each rug represents ten years of Strange Cargo's work, with the designs reflecting hundreds of projects. Thanks to designers Simon Bolton, Scarlett Rickard and Greg Stobbs. 30 rugs, ten of each rug design, were given away to people through the prize draw, embedding cultural artefacts in people's homes and encouraging ongoing conversations about the culture of where we live. If you would like to own one of these unique designs, the rugs are available to buy through our shop.

The Resident Platform at Folkestone West station

Since 2022 The Resident Platform has brought together 10 professional artists and 124 local people to create a public art programme which shares Strange Cargo’s participatory practice with other artists; enables residents to make public art that shapes their cultural landscape; whilst developing a new cultural destination for a culturally underserved area of town. Working with curator Richie Moment and sculptor and foundry-man Andrew Baldwin, the programme has transformed the station and created a cultural legacy for the residents of Cheriton.