The winners were announced during a ceremony dinner on Friday 19th May 2017.
WINNER: Sumita Chauhan
“I am extremely honoured to receive the Kent Creative Awards 2017 in the 3D art and Objects category. This award is a recognition of the belief of all those people with whom I work in the local community. I have been working with people with dementia for the last three years mainly for their creative pleasure and enjoyment while engaging in the process of making sculpture. This Award endorses my belief in my art practice and my creative approach to work with people with dementia. It encourages me to carry on working the way I enjoy most as an artist.”
RUNNER-UPS: Animate Arts Company & Rebecca Lehmann
Visual arts (non digital)WINNER: Emily Tull
“In the last nine years of working in my style of textiles it’s been hard to get it recognised as an art-form and not craft. For me, winning was being shortlisted in a visual arts category, so to actually win was a huge recognition. Thank you Kent Creative Awards for being open minded.”
RUNNER-UPS: Cas Holmes & Lina Ivanova
WINNER: Tom Parsons Photography (Tom Parsons not present)
RUNNER-UPS: Sara Choudhrey & Lina Ivanova
DesignWINNER: Fable and Base (Francesca Baur)
RUNNER-UPS: Nancy Nicholson Design & Peisley Originals
WINNER: The Hideout (Si Root & John Vingoe)
“The Hideout are massively proud of winning the Graphic Design category at this year’s Kent Creative Awards! It’s great to get the recognition for all the hard work the team have put in over the past year, and what makes it even more special is that it’s judged by other creative minds in Kent.What makes this award different is that it’s not just a specific part of the creative industry… It’s every part. From designers to sculptors, painters to dancers, the awards really are a great way to show off the depth and breadth of the creative output from our amazing county. That’s something we’re all really proud of!”
RUNNER-UPS: HH Creative Agency & Salt
Audio-visualWINNER: Ben Horner
“The Kent Creative Awards were a terrific experience to be a part of and a great opportunity to meet new creative people. To my surprise I won the award in the audiovisual category and am absolutely delighted. I have no doubt that my award – and networking opportunity that the event offered – will help advance my career in ways I hadn’t imagined. “
RUNNER-UPS: Melody Kennett & Women in Business Radio
WINNER: Moving Memory Dance Company (incl. Sian Stevenson, Ginette Casey & Val Sanders)
“Winning the Award was really special.”
RUNNER-UPS: Stefan Gambrell & Emily Peasgood
MusicWINNER: Emily Peasgood
“I feel honoured to receive this award. It makes all the work I do feel validated and appreciated. I think it’s really important to share the work of artists in Kent, as we have a flourishing artistic economy and so many people are doing wonderful things”.
RUNNER-UPS: Arcelia & Ben Russell And The Charmers
Publishing & Written words– Sponsored by Stormchasers DigitalJOINT WINNERS: The Middlesized Garden (Alexandra Campbell) & Faversham Life (Sarah Langton-Lockton, Amicia de Moubray, Lisa Valder)
“Faversham Life is such a new venture, it is hugely encouraging to win this award”.
Alexandra Campbell: “I’m delighted to win the Kent Creative Award for publishing and the written word, along with the lovely Faversham Life magazine. It’s such an encouragement to keep on trying to get better all the time.”
RUNNER-UP: Sideways Media Ltd
Public artWINNER: Rob Turner
“This event is important not only promoting the work of all the finalists, but as winner I feel I am valued by the regional creative community.
The profile of the event is very high and the organisers have done a great job of using social media to build anticipation, distributing logos and marketing materials to finalists, making the whole event an exciting part of the arts calendar in Kent.
My profile has been enhanced by involvement in the event and the Award is a great addition to my CV.
The distribution of logos to those involved for websites and social media has had a big impact on the event. The circulation of these has added credibility and value to the Award.
The highlight for me was the over 50’s on stage doing the ‘Hacker’ after receiving their award.
The events dinner was an excellent networking opportunity.
People really dressed up, and the event was managed so it kept crossing the threshold from ceremony into party . A Great Night.
Thanks to the organisers, judges and the hosts: Great Job.”
RUNNER-UPS: Animate Arts Company & FrancisKnight
WINNER: Create Music Festival (Chris Dixon)
“It’s been a magical night. Winning this award makes all the hard work worth it, and we are looking forward to sharing this accolade with all those who have contributed to making the festival what it is today. We also hope to use our award success to help us reach more people. We are sure more people will be thinking now – Maybe we should go, or get involved”.
RUNNER-UPS: Cranbrook Literature Festival & Wealden Literary Festival
WINNER: Revelation Ashford (with sponsor Fiona Swan)
Debra McGee, Manager at Revelation: “This is an amazing achievement for Revelation. The Kent Creative Awards help us raise our profile with our peers and inspire our team”.
RUNNER-UPS: Creek Creative CIC & Linden Hall Studio
Creative business of the year – Sponsored by the FSB Kent and MedwayWINNER: Bombus (Not present; represented by jury member Paul Andrews, with Sponsor David Milham from FSB).
RUNNER-UPS: Julie Davies flower workshops & Rockabelly Lifecasts
Arts organisation of the yearWINNER: Nucleus Arts
Genevieve Tullberg, gallery manager: “I went to a talk by Emma Dewhurst, editor of (the very sadly missed) WOW magazine, where she explained the importance of awards – for your general feeling of self-worth but also for focussing on telling other people what you actually do. With that in mind we filled in the application for the Kent Creative Awards with great trepidation – I think many of us agree it is always hard to blow your own trumpet! It is no exaggeration to say we are completely and utterly thrilled to have won Arts Organisation of the Year. Thank you so much to Nathalie and Kent Creative.”
RUNNER-UPS: Creek Creative CIC & Revelation Ashford
Community organisation of the yearWINNER: SEE and CREATE (Christopher Sacre)
“It was great to be a finalist for the award and a massive boost to be chosen as category winner from such a strong group of nominees. A big thank you to Kent Creative for the opportunity to raise awareness of SEE and CREATE’s mission to provide fully deaf-accessible creative arts events in Kent.”
RUNNER-UPS: The Herne Bay Cosy Crew & Inspirations Writers Group
Creative champion of the year (An inspiring and motivating individual).WINNER: Natasha Boardman-Steer
“I truly appreciate the award and in fact I can’t even explain how much it really truly meant and how much it helped. It gave me confidence to believe in myself and to stand firm and believe in my ideas and creativity. I can’t thank you enough and the fact that people voted for me who don’t even know me that well was so so kind. Thank you for creating a wonderful network and wonderful awards.”
RUNNER-UPS: Emily Peasgood & Debbie Sowter
A Special Mention is given by the jury panel to Derek Himsley of String Wind Repairs.
“I have found entering the Kent Creative Awards a very enjoyable experience, it prompted me to evaluate what I am doing and find areas that may have otherwise escaped attention in the general run of things. The presentation dinner gave an opportunity to see what others are doing and the great things that are happening in a very important aspect of our lives.”
