Margate NOW arts festival

This September the Turner Prize lands at Turner Contemporary in Margate and the whole town is gearing up to celebrate. Situated on the Kent coast, Margate is the perfect venue for such an event. Once a favourite haunt of JMW Turner and now in possession of a burgeoning arts scene, this colourful town is set to come alive with a programme of events guest curated by actor and avid art collector, Russell Tovey.

This is not the first year the town has held an arts festival, but this iteration is set to be the most ambitious yet with over 500 artists and 60 events responding to the theme 'now'. There will music, dance, exhibitions and installations a plenty, dotted throughout the town; Dreamland Margate is getting involved and even the train station will be the site of an installation, produced in partnership with Southeastern. There will also be evening projections from fantastical theatre company 1927, created in collaboration with 500 primary school children.


Margate beach with Turner Contemporary in the distance

Turner Contemporary is also joining in the programme. Aside from the the Turner Prize Exhibition, which will run from 28 September 2019 – 12 January 2020, the gallery is working with London and Margate-based sound artist and musician Yuri Suzuki, who harnesses artificial intelligence in his work. His commission for the gallery's South Terrace is inspired by the people of Kent.

There'll not only be a chance to see, but also buy art. The famed Art Car Boot Sale is parking up in this coastal town for its Margate edition – a one day event set to coincide with the festival's opening on 28 September. You'll be able to haggle with established artists such as Juno Calypso and bring home art for bargain prices. The car boot sale will take place at Dreamland and is conveniently located close to Margate train station and Turner Contemporary. Advanced tickets can be bought here.

Just an hour and a half from London St Pancras, Margate is a town worth visiting and there is no better time than when an art festival is in full swing. Russell Tovey certainly thinks so. 'Art can be powerful,' he says. 'I am looking forward to seeing the town brought to life in unusual, surprising and entertaining ways.'