Artist	Nicole Mollett, Simon Barker, Nick Snelling, Bridgette Ashton, Acrojou, Scandal mongers
Date	16th- 25th April 2011
Location	Margate Habour Arm
Category	Visual arts, Sonic art, film

The Kent Cultural Baton will be taking part in the opening celebrations for the Turner Contemporary gallery. From 16-25th April, the converted silver Airstream caravan will take up residence on the Harbor Arm to present a whole host of artists who will be offering local people a variety of exciting activities. During the opening week for the gallery, the artists’ projects will be experimenting with mapping Margate in new ways:

Margate Camera Obscura
Saturday 16th April, 10am – 4pm

Throughout the day, the Kent Cultural Baton will be capturing a 360 degrees panorama of Margate Harbour using cctv cameras. The baton will be using the rooftop periscope, and cameras floating out at sea, feeding the live images to within the space. Visitors will be able to enter and observe, and share their experiences of the day, receiving a free print of the views on display. This project is a creative collaboration between artists Nicole Mollett and Simon Barker. This project is being delivered in partnership with Margate Yacht Club. To find out more about Margate Yacht Club go to http://www.margateyachtclub.org/.

Artist Nick Snelling will be conducting a special one-day research work capturing images whilst swimming out to sea. To see more of Nick Snelling's sea photos and films to go http://www.nicksnelling.com/index.htm.

An introduction to the newly appointed Artist in Residence for Margate will be held at 10.30am (after the Turner Contemporary opening ceremony).

Sunday Seaside Salon
Sunday 17th April, 10am – 4pm

The Sunday Seaside Salon will be offering a range of creative activities, with dance, drawing, sound art, and theatre. The Seaside Salon is in celebration of 500 days until the start of the London 2012 Paralympic Games, and to mark this occasion artist Nicole Mollett will be giving away 500 limited edition artworks from the Kent Cultural Baton. This project has been created in association with Kent Libraries and Archives and Theatre Royal Margate. To find out more about Kent Libraries and Archives go to www.kent.gov.uk/libs.

Acrojou Circus Theatre is one of the UK's leading German wheel duos. They will be working physically and creatively using spectacular acrobatic discipline to perform along the Harbour Arm.

Artist Bridgette Ashton will be producing artwork by mapping underground Margate. Ashton’s Margate Subterranea project will include creating a series of publications looking at the Margate Caves, re-discovered in the 18th century and later presented as an early tourist attraction. Recently closed and sealed off to the public, Ashton proposes a fantastical Lascaux Cave style full-size replica open to visitors and capable of touring the country. To see more of Bridgette Ashton Work go to http://www.bridgetteashton.co.uk/.

Taking Flight
Monday 18th April, 10am-4pm

Theatre Group Scandal Mongers presents Taking Flight, a sound work which explores migrant communities in Margate. Taking Flight is a project that explores migration, music and story, uncovering some of the rich wealth of stories from Eastern Europe and beyond found on Thanet's doorstep. For several months, storyteller Emily Parrish and musician Filipe Gomes have been gathering tales from people in Margate and Cliftonville. Participants have been asked to share the stories they carry with them: favourite folktales and fairytales remembered from childhood, local folklore, family histories, anecdotes and dreams. Through these stories emerge real experiences of change and migration. Taking Flight is a Scandalmongers project funded by Arts Council England and Kent County Council. To find out more about the taking flight project go to http://www.scandalmongers.co.uk/.