New Kent Art Gallery opens in Broadstairs
Two local artists, Karen Hiscock-Lawrence and Brian Hodgson, have recently opened the tiny but very exciting New Kent Art Gallery on the corner of Albion Street and Alexandra Road in Broadstairs. Seek it out when you’re here, it’s just across the road from the popular Beaches Cafe, next door to the Seafarers cafe (with yellow sou’westered figure outside!), in the heart of Broadstairs, just slightly back from the seafront.
Together, Karen and Brian have put together a rich programme of contemporary art events for the summer and the remainder of the year – and are attracting art lovers to visit our town from London and all over Kent, as well as further afield.
Well done both! We are delighted to be able to tell our blog readers about your venture.
Whether you are in Broadstairs for a holiday and staying in one of our holiday lets or you are just here for a day trip, or as part of a visit to the area as a whole, if you love art, don’t miss New Kent Art Gallery, it’s a little gem.
Since Turner Contemporary opened in Margate in 2011 the area as a whole has benefited from an ever greater degree of artistic activities. New studios and galleries seem to open each year – attracting more and more interest. Resort Studios in Cliftonville even had a visit from the Duchess of Cambridge in 2015!
At New Kent Art Gallery in Broadstairs, exhibitions change every fortnight and the focus is on local artists. With a wide range of quality art work, ranging from paintings, photography, sculptures, crafts, ceramics, gifts and one-off pieces to admire and buy, you are sure to find something of interest on every visit.
You can find out what’s on by visiting the gallery’s website. Until 15th May Inky Lines celebrates local printmakers and illustrators: Andy Johnson, Ieuan Edwards, Cath Deeson, Sharon Hendy, Peter Maddock, Lesley Gray, Jill Pantony and Dawn Cole. The range of work and styles is really quite staggering and yet Karen and Brian have curated the exhibition as a whole beautifully so that it all hangs together and each piece complements the whole.
The gallery owners, who are working artists themselves, are clearly thrilled to be showcasing such fantastic work by other local artists’ and they offer a very warm welcome to art lovers and fellow creatives, with a stated aim for new Kent Art to become a creative hub in the town. For anyone looking to take a unique piece of Kent home with them, from a visit here in Broadstairs, this super little gallery is a real find.
Studio space is also available for hire, for artists based in or visiting Broadstairs. There’s plenty of artistic inspiration here, from the Turner-esque skies to the seascapes, landscapes, striking architecture and colourful local characters of Thanet. Contact Karen or Brian to find out more.
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