Folkestone Triennial

Folkestone Triennial

Cornelia Parker is the second artist participating in the 2011 Folkestone Triennial to be announced following the news that Folkestone’s Strange Cargo will be taking part. The exhibition of newly created artworks for specific public places around the town will run from June to September 2011.

The Folkestone Triennial is a three-yearly exhibition of contemporary artworks sited in public spaces throughout Folkestone. Andrea Schlieker conceived and curated the inaugural exhibition in 2008 and will direct the second Folkestone Triennial in the summer of 2011.

Permanent artworks
Permanent commissions include eight works by some of our most significant contemporary artists working today located in 25 different locations spread across the town (two of the works are multi-part). The Observer’s Rowan Moore included Tracey Emin’s Baby Things as one of the UK’s 10 best public artworks on Sunday 18 April 2010.

The Visitor Centre in Folkestone’s Creative Quarter provides information about the Folkestone Triennial Permanent Artworks including maps and audio guides, as well as the opportunity to view archive copies of three of the films commissioned for the 2008 Folkestone Triennial by Langlands and Bell, Adam Chodzko and Patrick Tuttofucco. A reading area offers background information about different models of art in the public realm. The 2008 Folkestone Triennial catalogue ‘Tales of Time and Space’ can be purchased at the Centre as well as books about the participating artists.

Folkestone Triennial 2008
22 internationally acclaimed contemporary artists and artist groups including Christian Boltanski, Tracey Emin, Mark Dion, Jeremy Deller, Tacita Dean and Mark Wallinger were commissioned to create new works for the first Folkestone Triennial, Tales of Time and Space, which ran from 14 June – 14 September 2008. The artists responded with works that engaged with the Kent coastal town’s history, population, culture and built environment to create a cutting-edge contemporary art exhibition.

Context
The Folkestone Triennial forms a major component of arts-led regeneration of Folkestone, driven by the Creative Foundation. The Creative Foundation are leading on the regeneration of the old town area of Folkestone, developing a burgeoning Creative Quarter populated by artists, independent retailers and creative businesses in a growing number of refurbished studio, living and retail spaces. University Centre Folkestone, the Cube adult education centre, and Quarterhouse performing arts venue are also located in the Creative Quarter.