The Whitstable Arts Festival launches in August 2024
Contemporary artists, gala film screenings and a 48-hour short-film challenge
Image Credit: Sadie Hennessey
Whitstable is poised for a vibrant transformation into a hub of creativity this summer with the inaugural Whitstable Arts Festival hosting a series of events including contributions from leading contemporary artists, gala film screenings and a 48-hour short-film challenge.
Anchored by the Horsebridge Arts Centre and featuring screenings at the Playhouse Theatre, the event promises an exhilarating fusion of contemporary art and groundbreaking cinema.
Themed around art and film that challenges conventional norms and defies the ‘nice-scape’, the festival will showcase internationally-renowned contemporary artists such as Jake Chapman, Zavier Ellis, Kim O’Neil, Tim Shaw and Joanne Whittle.
Each artist is known for pushing boundaries through innovation and wit. Sadie Hennessey, a Whitstable resident, is one of the artists featured at the festival.
“She creates work that intends to unsettle its audience and to elicit a jolt of recognition in them,” says festival director David Broder. “She is not afraid of using humour to create a reaction, but it definitely comes from the darkest side of the comic spectrum.
“The Fishlab Gallery and Bruce Williams are affiliated with the festival and the team are exploring possible pop-up galleries in some of the empty premises in central Whitstable to showcase local art and crafts. Another exciting project is coming to fruition and will be announced soon.”
Local businesses such as Whitstable Framing, Nip and Cluck, Shepherd Neame, Abbey Print in Faversham and The Offy are also working with the festival.
Also a filmmaker and photographer, Whitstable resident Broder is working with local artist and art educator Kim O’Neil, who will also curate the festival.
“The festival came into being when I attended one of Kim’s art classes at the Horsebridge,” he says. “There was an instant meeting of minds and we spoke about why there was not an arts festival in Whitstable since the Biennale.
“We approached the Horsebridge and amazingly a slot was available that would be the perfect time to run a festival. It was promptly booked by us, with the full support of Liz Daone, the centre director, and the artistic director Hannah Wenn.
“The project has also developed with the help of many of the town’s residents.
“The festival line-up includes biopics of revolutionary artists who shaped art history, including Caravaggio, Frida Kahlo, Gaugin, Klimt, Turner, Basquiat, Van Gogh and Andy Warhol. These films offer intimate portraits of these icons, exploring their artistic genius and personal struggles.”
The 48-hour Short Film Challenge will see a brief be given out on 30th August and filmmakers will have 48 hours to shoot and edit a film based on the chosen theme; the winning films will be screened at the Playhouse Theatre on 3rd September.
Registration for the challenge will open on 1st July, with details on the website.
The Whitstable Arts Festival, 29th August to 8th September.
INFO: whitstableartsfestival.com
INSTA: @whitstableartsfestival
