Creative futures for Thanet's young people
4 November 2026
Turner Contemporary launches three-year programme connecting 800 young people with contemporary art and creative careers
Turner Contemporary has been awarded a grant to deliver a new three-year programme connecting young people across Thanet with contemporary art, local artists and opportunities across the creative industries.
The new Clore Schools Connect programme will reach approximately 800 Year 9 students in its first year, helping young people explore contemporary art, develop their creativity and discover the possibilities of future careers in the creative industries.
Turner Contemporary is one of five organisations selected to receive funding through the Clore Schools Connect grant programme. The other successful organisations are:
The Barber Institute of Fine Arts
Historic Royal Palaces—Hillsborough Castle & Gardens
London Symphony Orchestra
Royal Shakespeare Company
The programme brings the five organisations together as a cohort to test and develop new approaches to working with schools facing financial or systemic barriers to engagement with cultural opportunities.
Working in partnership with six local secondary schools, Turner Contemporary aims to build lasting relationships between young people, the gallery and Margate’s creative community—helping students see creativity as relevant to their lives, education and futures.
The six participating schools are Hartsdown Academy, Charles Dickens School, Royal Harbour Academy, King Ethelbert School, Ursuline College and Enterprise Learning Alliance.
Creating lasting connections with creativity
Rather than a one-off gallery visit, Schools Connect will offer sustained engagement over three years. Turner Contemporary’s learning team will visit schools to deliver workshops that start with students’ own interests and experiences, exploring how creativity can connect with their learning, everyday lives and future ambitions.
Students will also visit Turner Contemporary to explore contemporary art and take part in hands-on workshops led by artists and creative practitioners from Margate’s thriving creative community. These encounters will introduce young people to a range of creative practices and help them discover the diverse career pathways available across the creative industries.
The programme will also create opportunities for teachers and the gallery’s learning team to work together over time, strengthening relationships between schools and Turner Contemporary. Through ongoing evaluation, the programme will explore how sustained engagement with contemporary art can influence young people’s perceptions of art, build confidence and increase awareness of creative opportunities.
‘We want young people to see that creativity is a vital life skill that can open up a variety of career options.’
Tackling cultural barriers
The programme responds to new research* from teachers commissioned by the Foundation which shows how school trips have suffered since the pandemic.
1. 46% of primary state funded schools will go on 2 or fewer trips per year compared to 22% of private primary schools.
2. Over half of state funded schools in London (53%) will be going on 3 or more trips per year compared to 34% nationally. The lowest proportion going on 3 or more trips per year is the Midlands at 30%.
3. 79% of state funded primary schools say budget stops them running more trips compared to 43% of private primary schools.
Dame Vivien Duffield said: 'Many young people particularly those in state schools and outside London are not getting the cultural capital they deserve. School visits have dropped off dramatically particularly in rural areas. This is why we are launching the Clore Schools Connect programme to support a cohort of Clore Learning Spaces to work with schools with low cultural engagement.
‘Many young people particularly those in state schools and outside London are not getting the cultural capital they deserve.’
Thanet faces significant social and economic challenges and remains the only local authority district in Kent ranked among the 10% most deprived areas nationally. For some young people, barriers including transport costs, school timetables and limited opportunities to engage with cultural organisations can make accessing the arts more difficult. the programme responds to new research form teachers commissioned by the Clore Duffield Foundation which shows how school trips have suffered since the pandemic.
By building long-term partnerships with local schools, Clore Schools Connect aims to help overcome these barriers and make visiting an art gallery a meaningful part of young people’s educational experiences.
Supported by the Clore Duffield Foundation, the programme forms part of a wider three-year commitment to developing a sustainable model for working with secondary schools in disadvantaged areas. Learning from the programme will be shared to help inform future practice and support longer-term engagement between galleries, schools and their communities.
'We want young people to see that creativity is a vital life skill that can open up a variety of career options. By building sustained relationships with schools and bringing students together with artists working in their local community, we hope to encourage new ways of thinking about creativity, education and future careers.' Toby Parkin, Head of Learning & Participation.
‘By building sustained relationships with schools and bringing students together with artists working in their local community, we hope to encourage new ways of thinking about creativity, education and future careers.’
With support from the Clore Duffield Foundation.
Notes to Editors
- The Clore Schools Connect programme will run over three years, beginning in 2026–27.
- In its first year, the programme will work with six Thanet school settings and aims to reach approximately 800 Year 9 students.
- Activities will include school-based workshops, artist-led gallery visits, collaboration with teachers and programme evaluation.
- The programme is supported by a grant from the Clore Duffield Foundation.
About Clore Duffield Foundation
The Clore Duffield Foundation was established by Sir Charles Clore in 1964 and is now chaired by his daughter, Dame Vivien Duffield. It supports UK charities working in the arts, education, social welfare and health. The Foundation enhances Jewish cultural life through support for JW3, the Jewish arts and community centre in London.
Since 2000, the Clore Duffield Foundation has provided funding to support the development of Clore Learning Spaces in museums, theatre and heritage sites across the UK. they have funded around 80 Clore Learning Spaces with grants of up to £2.5m to create Clore Learning Centres in national museums and performing arts centres, to donations of less than £50,000 to fund small Clore Studios within local museums and libraries.
About Turner Contemporary
Turner Contemporary is one of the UK’s most visited contemporary art galleries and part of Margate’s vibrant creative community. Opened in 2011 and designed by David Chipperfield, the gallery presents an ambitious programme of exhibitions, events and learning opportunities inspired by JMW Turner’s legacy and his enduring connection to the town. In 2026, Turner Contemporary marks its 15th anniversary. Since opening, the gallery has played a pivotal role in the region’s cultural and economic regeneration, welcoming over 5.2 million visitors and contributing more than £146 million to the local economy.
Press contacts
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*Research conducted in March 2026 by Teacher Tapp on behalf of the Clore Duffield Foundation. 9,722 teachers responded to the survey.
Header image photo credit: Jason Pay
