Turner Contemporary Gains Additional Space in Heart Of Margate Town Centre
4 December 2007
Turner Contemporary has been offered a temporary base in Margate town centre by Thanet District Council (TDC) and the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) ahead of the proposed £17.4million art gallery.
Turner Contemporary will move into the former Marks and Spencer building in Margate town centre in February 2008. It will be called Turner Contemporary Project Space and used to present a wide range of exhibitions and events.
It is hoped the first exhibition will open at the end of February and that the space will then be open to the public six days a week (Tuesdays to Sundays) from 10am until 5pm. Full details of the first exhibition will be publicised shortly.
The temporary library service, which currently occupies the building while the main building undergoes a radical transformation, will leave the building on Saturday 15 December 2007 before reopening in its newly refurbished, permanent location in Cecil Square on Monday 7 January 2008.
Through the work of the Margate Renewal Partnership, SEEDA, TDC, Kent County Council (KCC) and other key partners are seeking to redevelop Margate town centre and provide significant new opportunities for local people and bring new investment into the retail and cultural offer of the town.
The Old Town will be the heart of the creative quarter, complementing and extending the main town centre creating a distinct and vibrant area offering independent and specialised retail, a variety of quality food, drink and creative
and cultural businesses. The area is already home to galleries, workspaces, residential studios and new commercial facilities such as the former Lloyds Bank building which is now the Margate Media Centre, providing accommodation and facilities for creative businesses.
The Partnership is currently seeking a development partner to bring forward two strategic sites extending to approximately 1.77 acres between Market
Street, High Street, Queen Street and Cecil Square (including the Marks and Spencer building). There is a possibility that the site area could be extended should a suitable proposal be put forward. Plans should complement the historic and architectural qualities of the area and maximise the opportunities offered by the emerging Creative Quarter in the adjacent Old Town.
A shortlist of developers who will be invited to make detailed proposals is expected to be announced in the course of next year, from which a preferred developer will eventually be chosen. Turner Contemporary’s occupation of the Marks and Spencer building will be reviewed in June 2009 in light of the timescale for the long-term development.
Margate is one of a number of coastal towns set for major regeneration under SEEDA’s targeted Coastal Strategy, due for publication early next year. The strategy will address the diverse potential and challenges in towns across the Coastal South East (Kent Thames Gateway, East Kent and Ashford, Sussex Coast, South Hampshire), leading to an action plan that will bring together the regional and local approaches needed to achieve critical mass for a locally driven transformation of each area.
The need for coastal regeneration has also been highlighted in the Regional Economic Strategy (RES) for the South East. The RES Implementation plan, which has been produced in consultation with a range of stakeholders, was launched at the end of October.
Pam Alexander, Chief Executive of SEEDA and Chair of the Margate Renewal Partnership Board, said: “The revitalisation of the High Street is a major component of our regeneration plans for the town, as is the creation of a vibrant cultural sector. We are delighted to be able to help this exciting development by giving it a temporary home.”
Mike Hill, Cabinet Member for Kent County Council Community Services which includes Turner Contemporary and Libraries, said: “We are at a very exciting stage for both the development of the Turner Contemporary project and the creation of the new-look Margate Library. Residents have told us that they have enjoyed using the temporary library and I hope that they will continue to visit the venue to enjoy Turner Contemporary’s exciting programme of exhibitions and events.”
Sandy Ezekiel, leader of Thanet District Council, said: “It will be wonderful to have Turner Contemporary presenting their activities in such a prominent position in the High Street.”
Victoria Pomery, Director of Turner Contemporary added: “The space offers significant opportunities for us to showcase the work of contemporary artists and we are committed to engaging audiences through all our activities in the run up to the opening of our new gallery.”
Margate has wonderful natural assets, such as its seaside location and good transport links that make it a great area for further investment. By regenerating Margate Town Centre, the Partnership can start to bring investment back into the town, creating better paid jobs, helping local people to develop new skills and creating a vibrant high quality environment for people to live and work in.
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