NEWS

Thanks to everyone who has supported ARK over the past year.  2024 was packed with stunning events across every artform; social gatherings with Cliftonville residents; workshops with local children and much, much more…

 

The year included music from Lunatraktors, Sabina Desir, Jessica Lauren, The Orchestra from Everywhere and The Women and the World Orchestra, Daisy Beau, Margate Song Salon, Fran and Flora and the wonderful musicians brought to ARK by Daylight Music…

 

We presented performances of Vishnu’s got my Back, On Track, The Freshwater Five, Varnish, Monument, Cry for Me and Paradise Lost… family shows The Light Princess, Mrs Armitage on Wheels and Kinder … poetry from Harry Baker and Lemn Sissay … comedy from Grace Campbell…

 

We hosted five festivals - Home, a recognition of refugees’ cultural contribution to our community, Infinity, celebrating the work of local artist Govinda Sah ‘Azad’, The Margate Film Festival, Making More Waves and KlezMargate.

 

Our winter programme ended with ARK’s first-ever Christmas show – The Christmas Goblin by Brigitte Aphrodite and Quiet Boy, a magical, musical festive show for all the family, plus special performances for local schools. For two weeks, our space was filled with snow, song, laughter and fireworks!

 

We have welcomed thousands of people into our building over the past year - for performances, Heritage Open Days, workshops, talks, parties and weddings - and commissioned a wonderful mural for the side of our building created by South African artist Breeze Yoko.

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Our engagement work has included Easter and Summer playschemes with sessions delivered by 1927 Theatre and New Adventures and provided 180 free hot meals to Cliftonville children; we have delivered heritage workshops to Cliftonville’s 4 local primary schools; programmed free monthly creative sessions for under 5s and their families; hosted rap after-school sessions for young people from the Roma community; welcomed  locally based asylum seekers and other Cliftonville residents to relaxed monthly musical suppers; hosted weekly drop-in sessions for local residents and visitors, many with craft activities led by local artists…

 

None of this activity would have been possible without generous support from Arts Council England, Save the Children, KCC Combined Members support, Heritage Compass, Co-operative Local Causes, Colyer Fergusson Charitable Trust, New Narratives, The Mayor’s Fund, Tobias Hitman Trust, and the Shared Prosperity Fund. Huge thanks to all our funders and donors for their support.

 

Recently we have also been awarded funding to improve our building. The DCMS Energy Efficiency Scheme will support the installation of air source heat pumps, PV panels and upgrading all our light fittings to LED; while support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund will enable further work on the building including restoring the main space to its original proportions and upgrading support spaces. 

 

This means that our Winter / Spring programme will start a little later than usual, so that we can make a start on the work. Watch out for news on our Spring programme shortly!