public art- strange cargo. UK

Public ArtOver its eleven year lifespan, Strange Cargo has established a reputation for high profile quality public art, and has delivered award-winning projects, including Like the Back of my Hand, an extensive installation at Folkestone Central station which recently won the Rouse Kent Public Art Award. In its public art involvement, Strange Cargo seeks to create works of context, leaving communities with lasting meaningful landmarks and a sense of participation in their surrounding environment.
FestivalsStrange Cargos participatory festival work is one of its most high profile areas of work. Annually the Company works closely with schools and the community to design and run Charivari Day, a popular and vibrant carnival in Folkestone, each year. Elsewhere, the ethos of access, participation and excellence has been extended to develop festivals, carnivals and lantern processions such as Ramsgate’s Skelly Night, the Jersey Lanterns procession and the Festival of Humour in the French town of Tourcoing, among others—including elements of the Lord Mayor’s Show in London, and the Canterbury Festival.
The East Kent Giants ProjectThe East Kent Giants project brings rural communities together to create their very own Giant to act as an iconic representative of their town or village, while encouraging the forging of strong links with Europe. The Giants project has its roots in the French geants tradition, and Strange Cargo is excited to be introducing this concept to the UK
TrainingThrough its various training programmes, Strange Cargo aims to encourage creativity on a holistic level in people’s daily lives. Working closely with schools, the Company trains teachers in the skills needed to encourage creative thinking in all areas of the curriculum. Strange Cargo also provides hands-on training to new artists and arts companies to pass on its knowledge and, for corporate training days, it assists in developing innovation and team achievement within company workforces.
Georges House Gallery has been established in Folkestone’s Old Town—and new creative quarter since 1998, offering a unique and inspirational developmental space for artists to experiment and expand their practice. The Gallery is a dynamic arena which creates opportunities both for the exhibiting artists and the local community; it is an unrestricted exhibition venue, and Strange Cargo encourages each exhibitor to be inventive with the space. Artists are encouraged to invigilate their own work, which means that they are usually on hand to discuss it with visitors, an element which is beneficial to both parties. In the running of Georges House Gallery, Strange Cargo has a policy of encouraging innovative work, both contemporary and traditional, and is proud of its track record in supporting artists in their careers and encouraging them to develop further. genuine community engagement and involvement, while still retaining the integrity of the artwork. Relating work in the public realm to its environment is a fundamental aspect of any brief, and Strange Cargo is able to work closely with commissioners to devise practical creative solutions to bringing site specific work into new build scenarios and regeneration initiatives.