Culture-led regeneration in seaside towns

England’s South East: Margate

Turner Contemporary⁶ is a visual arts organisation that celebrates J. M. W. Turner's association with Margate and, through a varied programme of exhibitions and events, promotes understanding and enjoyment of historical and contemporary art. Work is under way to build a permanent gallery which is due to open in Margate in 2011. As many readers will know, the project has not been without its complications over the past several years and lessons learned are generously shared. James Kennell, Senior Lecturer in Tourism and Regeneration, University of Greenwich suggests:⁷ 

What Turner Contemporary can’t do is address all the factors that have contributed to the decline of tourism in the South East and in seaside towns the the UK generally. What it can do is act as a catalyst and, over a period of time, attract other investment, attract tourists and really make a change in the town but the success factors for that are very complicated and very long term... Historically, seaside towns always innovated with culture, with piers, winter gardens, pleasure beaches. What’s new is that everybody is doing a similar thing at a similar time, so the real challenge for cultural regeneration in seaside towns in the South East is to work together; to collaborate, strengthen local partnerships, strengthen transport infrastructure, so it’s easier for tourists to move between these different destinations and not have to just pick one, but to be able to put together destinations that constitute a meaningful long-term trip.

This example is included here to indicate how art alone cannot be the magic bullet. It is a component of wider initiatives and requires joined-up thinking with tourism and transport strategies and community engagement and participation.

This is the case of an iconic physical building as a catalyst for renewal. A summary of key findings is as follows. It is essential to embed culture in strategic thinking, vital that directors of cultural projects have significant time to develop key partnerships locally and regionally with communities and policymakers, and essential to share joined-up thinking in relation to the cultural tourist offer. Ultimately, ‘the building is the backdrop’ to culture-led regeneration which requires strong political leadership and community ownership and engagement to support success.

A tentative conclusion might be drawn in the differences between approaches in Folkestone and Margate. Folkestone’s culture-led regeneration is business-driven, very rooted and strong on governance and, as such, had a competitive advantage from the outset. Margate’s culture-led regeneration appears to have commenced with poor leadership and was icon-driven but with little substance from the beginning. At the outset, it did not have an opportunity to engage with local communities or potential local opposition. As such and with the benefit of hindsight, Margate’s culture-led regeneration has struggled through difficult years to reach its current position, which now appears to have strengthened leadership and community engagement and may therefore succeed in turning the place around.