Circular Economy

Turner Contemporary is on a mission to protect the planet from pressing environmental challenges – from pollution and habitat destruction to rising sea levels, loss of biodiversity and resource depletion. Located on the breathtaking coast of Kent, we are committed to minimising our environmental impact, preserving, and safeguarding cultural and natural heritage, and empowering audiences to contribute to a sustainable future.

Earlier this year, we put a call out, inviting local community groups to submit expressions of interest for the reuse of timber used as part of Sonia Boyce: Feeling Her Way. In collaboration with local arts organisation Bon Volks, a member-run co-working space offering affordable artist studios, and local carpenters The Studio Workshop we wanted to identify projects that could reuse this material to benefit the local community. 

We were able to donate the timber to the following groups:

• Clayspace – flooring for their new community ceramics studio
• Cliftonville Community Centre – shelving and tables for their space
• East Kent Mencap – constructing looms for group weaving sessions at their Herne Bay Day Resource centre
• Windmill Community Gardens – rebuilding their flower beds and decorating the children’s area

Clayspace Studios is a not-for-profit social enterprise set up to offer a professional ceramics studio space and teaching facility for the whole community.”

Cliftonville Community Centre run a wide range of services within Cliftonville, delivering welfare and support through holistic welfare and one-to-one support.

East Kent Mencap is a charity that supports adults and children with a learning disability in the East Kent area to live as independently as possible and to achieve the things they want out of life. The area they cover reaches across the region of East Kent, including Thanet, Canterbury and Swale.

Windmill Community Gardens Margate is a community project based in Margate, Kent. Established in 2004, Windmill Community Gardens serve the needs of the local community providing a safe outdoor space for them and their families offering gardening, food growing and activities for all ages.