Culture-led regeneration in seaside towns

England’s South East: Folkestone

Folkestone Triennial⁴ includes headline artists and mixes temporary and permanent art in a deliberately small geographic area of Shepway. The Triennial is one part of a larger culture-led regeneration programme led by the Creative Foundation,⁵ which includes property acquisition and letting for creative and cultural industries and links with education and communities.

Focusing on a small geographical area, concentrating attention at the core of a problem and nurturing the solution within a defined physical area is key. Conducting rigorous analysis and then having the courage in resulting convictions to initiate and grow innovative solutions is essential. And, while ensuring stakeholder support, being bold enough to keep strong attention on ‘the big idea’ and not dilute it ought, ultimately, to enhance civic pride and build stronger communities. Measuring impact is complex and a longitudinal study will be necessary to assess the effect on local communities and people’s decisions to remain, leave or indeed move to the area. Commissioned impact and evaluation reports are in progress, but not available at the time of publishing this research.