Folkestone & Hythe District Council is delighted to – once again – support an open-air art festival which, every three years, brings world-class contemporary artworks to the Kent coast.
Titled How Lies The Land? and organised by arts charity Creative Folkestone, the sixth edition of the Folkestone Triennial invites residents and visitors to explore the stories and histories that shape the landscape.
Seven of the 18 ambitious new artworks by international artists sited across the town appear on land belonging to either the council or Folkestone Parks and Pleasure Grounds Charity:
- Dedication (To the Sea, To the Sea) by Céline Condorelli (The Stade)
- Afterlife by Katie Paterson (Martello Tower 3, Wear Bay Road)
- Ka Pheko ye (curse dissolved) by Dineo Seshee Raisibe Bopape (Wear Bay Road)
- Ode to the Channel by Emeka Ogboh (Coronation Parade)
- Oceans Tree of Life by Jennifer Tee (Jock’s Pitch)
- Love (Warbler Remix) by Hanna Tuulikki (East Cliff)
- Urn Field by Sara Trillo (Near Martello Tower 1, Wear Bay Road)
Céline Condorelli’s flag-based installation, as well as Monster Chetwynd’s giant brightly-coloured salamander at Payers Park, form part of the Folkestone – A Brighter Future project.
You can hear Céline discuss her artwork on the In Conversation, On Water podcast. Meanwhile, a playful performance inspired by Monster’s artwork takes place on Thursday 16 October.
Cllr James Butcher – Cabinet Member for Place Plan, Heritage, Tourism and District Economy – said: “Creativity has become part of the fabric of Folkestone thanks, in part, to the legacy of pieces retained from former Triennials.
“We’ve supported Creative Folkestone since the festival’s inception in 2008 and, as this year demonstrates, the collaboration is still going very strong.”
There is still over a month to explore the thought-provoking 2025 edition of the Folkestone Triennial, which runs until Sunday 19 October.
Alastair Upton, Creative Folkestone chief executive, added: “Folkestone Triennial has shown how art and creativity can not only transform public spaces but also how people experience them.
“This year’s exhibition continues that legacy, with artworks across the town inviting us to look again at the familiar and see it afresh.
“We are proud to work alongside Folkestone & Hythe District Council in making art part of everyday life, strengthening Folkestone’s reputation as a creative, welcoming and vibrant place for everyone.”