For centuries artists have been inspired by Margate’s sea and skies. From JMW Turner to Tracey Emin, they have been long revered and are now an Instagram sensation.

The view from Turner Contemporary’s windows looks out over the horizon and often frames mesmerizing sunsets.  Whilst we were closed, we installed a live camera so that audiences around the world could be inspired by the sea and sky, wherever they are. The live feed ran 24 hours a day for one week in July via this webpage.

From astronomy, to music, to poetry, creative responses took place across a week in July, including:

8th July 2020

Nightwaves Episode 10 drew on Margate’s Skies and the views from Turner Contemporary’s windows ft. Director of People Dem Collective Kelly Abbott, DJ Hannah Holland and Quiet Boy.  You can listen to it back here.

With thanks to Gemma Cairney, Buddy Peace and Olby’s Soul Cafe.

Nightwaves is a weekly radio show, birthed out of lockdown by broadcaster and magpie – Gemma Cairney. Each week aims to bring two hours of love, tunes, ‘n chatter… especially designed for anyone feeling a liccle lonely.

9th July 2020 

super/collider staged “Light Reflections” a virtual conversation with artist Armelle Tulunda and astronomer Paul Hill, looking at environmental issues, natural and artificial light, solstices, equinoxes and the phases of the Moon. They also discussed the sunset, reflecting on why we see the vibrant colours within the famous sunsets of Margate. You can watch it back here.

10th July 2020

Dan Thompson acted as a virtual poet-in-residence, writing short sketch poems across the week with a final poem produced in response to the Live Feed. The poems are available here.

Dan Thompson is a Kent writer. He was Poet-in-Residence for Lincoln’s digital arts festival Frequency in 2019, and has previously been Poet-in-Residence for the Worthing Herald. He believes this is the first time a webcam has had its own Poet-in-Residence. Last year, he published Your England, a collection of poems about people and places in England which tell a history of the country. For ten years he ran the Roundabout poetry events in Worthing, and for three years hosted Landing Place at Turner Contemporary.