insideKENT Magazine Issue 87 - June 2019 | Page 172

ARTSPROFILE
ARTS PROFILE:
ALASTAIR UPTON
Chief Executive of Creative Folkestone
THIS MONTH, insideKENT SPOKE TO ALASTAIR
UPTON, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF CREATIVE
FOLKESTONE, ABOUT THE EXCITING THINGS
HAPPENING ON THE COAST AND PLANS FOR
THE FUTURE.
THE GLASSWORKS
There have been some exciting changes happening with the arts in
Folkestone, including an exciting rebrand of The Creative Foundation
to Creative Folkestone. Can you tell us more about the change?
It’s just a clearer statement of what we are, an arts or creative charity that is in
Folkestone, for Folkestone and very much working with the people of Folkestone.
After 15 years of establishing the Creative Quarter, Quarterhouse, Artworks and
Folkestone Triennial we have set our foundations. Now we build on them!
Creative Folkestone does so much – how would you sum it up in just
a few sentences?
We work in many different creative ways, with different types of art, but always
looking to make Folkestone and the district a better place for people to live, work,
and grow up in; and if all that works people will want to visit too.
We were strolling along Folkestone seafront recently and noticed lots
of different art installations, including 'The Ledge' (featured on our
cover). Can you tell us more about it?
It’s an Inuit Hunter standing on some ice with a seal, and they are looking out
over the sea. The white ledge they are on is raised up above a black area, or pool
below. It seems like the ice has melted away as oil is consumed and with it the
way of life of the hunter.
People have said to me ‘I get that, but what has it got to do with Folkestone?’. I
think the artist was making the point that we live on a small planet. We are all
looking out over the same connected seas, as the ice melts, our seas rise and with
that comes change for us too.
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FOLKESTONE TRIENNIAL © Thierry Bal
It’s also just a beautiful thing to look
at. Mostly people see it from below
but when you go on to the path
behind, you are then on the same level
and you can share their gaze out over
the channel. come. Then I’d get people to talk
about it in the amazing cafés and
restaurants the town now has.
For someone visiting Folkestone
for the fir st time, what would
you suggest they do and see? We have just appointed two new
curators for the Book Festival, 15 –
24 November 2019. They have really
exciting ideas, I can’t say too much
yet but November should be great,
again building on the foundations of
previous festivals but looking for new
ideas that are right for Folkestone.
That’s hard as there is so much to do
now in Folkestone. Because of my job
I always show people the Folkestone
Artworks, and by using them you can
see so much of what is great in the
town. Anthony Gormley on the
harbour arm, Mark Wallenger’s
Folkstones on the Leas which allows
you to talk about the WWI history,
Lubaina Himid’s pavilion on the
seafront – that’s three Turner Prize
winners, Cornelia Parker’s mermaid
on Sunny Sands, and of course I’d go
up The Old High Street.
The Artworks allow you to see the
town, understand its geography and
history and think about what’s to
What plans ar e in motion for
Creative Folkestone's future?
We have a new digital hub in the
Glassworks, where we are looking to
the future by joining our existing
creative industries with energy
and ideas that come from new
technologies.
And next year is the fifth Folkestone
Triennial.
www.creativefolkestone.org.uk