Testimonials

Culture in Kent Directory

Thank you! You’ve set up a really good platform.

Jude Adams, songwriter


Thank you for a wonderful resource.

Annie Taylor, artist


Thanks for providing this awesome platform.

Romana Bellinger, The Hot Tin


The potential and prospects for me are good and I am just starting to realise this. I like the site, it’s interesting, I like being part of it and I think that my active involvement is going to increase.

Directory’s subscriber


 

Kent Creative Connect

For me, Kent Creative Zoom sessions have been stimulating, provocative, very enjoyable and a great way to meet a hugely varied collection of other Kent based artists on their different creative journeys. It has been a sanity-saver in lockdown and has made me feel part of a great art community. Thank you so much Nathalie for having facilitated all this.

Veronica Tonge, artist


You are doing a brilliant job and don’t forget it. Keeping us creative people motivated and in contact with the world.

Carol Salter, writer


Thanks so much for today great group of art people and inspiring talk.  You play a vital role in keeping us all sane.

Joan Mac Karell, enamellist


In the current circumstances technology allowed us to have the meeting and the all important contact with each other.

Anonymous


I loved it and liked hearing about how everybody is getting on and having the same issues.

Anonymous


I did walk away with a feeling of a collaborative and supportive network, which I would like to stay involved with and hope to be able to contribute to in the near future. Thank you.

Anonymous


Great to pick up bits of information from others and their experiences.

Anonymous


I’m so grateful that you bring us together!!! Thank you!

Olivia Schlevogt, jeweller


Thank you for all you do in organising these meet ups.

Cherry Tewfik, ceramicist


THANK YOU for putting together such a well organised, exciting and useful day. I saw lots of faces I recognised and made some new friends and contacts which was the aim of the day for me.

Kirstin Miller, professional Office Service


Kent Creative has provided me with inspiration, connections, new clients, collaborations, friendship, and practical advice. So far.

Laure Meloy, Opera singer


I decided to come along to the Kent Creative meet-ups just because I enjoy the company and the content. I came away with an application for funding for a brand new project and an exciting collaboration opportunity.  Thanks for a great group. I can thoroughly recommend it as a super place to network, learn, collaborate and grow your business.

Sian Murphy – Stormchasers & The Women in Business Radio Show


Shortly after I left my day job to become a freelance photographer Nathalie was one of the very first people from the community to approach me and welcome me into Kent Creative. Going from traditional employment to running my own business was a big shock initially but having the support of the group made the change much less lonely and made me believe it was possible to succeed.
I’ve since been part of a number of collaborations, which were not only artistically satisfying but helped to expand my presence. I’ve also had the pleasure of speaking at Kent Creative meetups on a few occasions and am excited to be involved with the Kent Creative Show in the near future.
Kent Creative, as far as I am concerned, is a vital part of the local community. It brings together a large range of individual artists for support, guidance and friendship.

Richard Torble, photographer


I was ready for this, ready for getting down to business, grappling with all the issues pertinent to making a living as an Artist. The meet ups with Kent Creative  have been the perfect forum for skill, knowledge and experience sharing. I have made great contacts and I’m developing my profile FAST. A mixture of experience and new energy is essential for a lively group.

Tracie Peisley, artist


I love the meet-ups – they are always a joy and I ALWAYS learn something new, meet someone new and come away inspired.

Genevieve Tullberg – Nucleus Arts


Having met over a hundred people in the regular well-organised meet-ups around Kent, speaking to many in detail I’ve made many useful and interesting contacts and gained a powerful insight into the workings of creative Kent.
Writing and the other arts can be a lonely place at times, and the chance to get together in such a way is very welcome, plus the mixture of excellent speakers has been genuinely helpful to me.

Miles Allen – Author


The Kent Creative network has directly led to business. I have done a number of informal skills swaps with other attendees so I have found the organisation useful both in enabling me to teach writing and blogging and helping me to learn other useful skills for my own business.
Kent Creative is now an established network, and I believe it’s important to support established organisations. It takes time and effort to build a mailing list and grow a group of engaged people. Money spent on supporting a network that already works well is less likely to be wasted than money spent on starting something up – every pound spent on supporting creative businesses will go just that little bit further than it would if spent on a start-up.

Alexandra Campbell – The Middle Sized Garden blog


Thank you for running this excellent arts-business network, with such a rich menu of ideas and possibilities.  I love it, and I am absolutely grateful that you are here doing it!

Griselda Mussett – Artist


Thank you very much for the meet-up. I threw in a request for ideas, and was staggered by the amount of useful information and contacts: it was a really worthwhile morning!

Pat Wilson-Smith – Artist


It was a pleasure to attend the meet-up this morning. It was a very buzzy, inspiring, thought provoking and challenging morning – Perfect!

Ruth Rollason – Graphic designer & Artist


Project 365

 


Kent Creative Awards

The Kent Creative Awards are now a permanent fixture and are a great impetus for creative entrepreneurs and social enterpises. With the creative industries in the UK adding £10m every hour to the UK economy, it’s no wonder we at Ashford School see them as a vital part of childrens’ futures.

Mike Buchanan – Head of Ashford School & Chair of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC) in 2016/17


WOW ! What a night, I went to the Kent Creative Awards ceremony last year, that was great, this event was bigger, brighter and even more fantastic creative businesses were showcased. The creative industries are so important to the economy of Kent. This event truly puts creativity and art on the map.

The Kent Creative Awards held at Ashford school was a stunning event. We were entertained by very talented musician students from the school. Mike Buchanan gave a very inspiring message about developing creative talent in his school and the future is looking bright in the creative arts in Kent.

Paul Andrews – Entrepreneur


The Kent Creative Awards ceremony 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 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.

Rob Turner – Public artist


What makes the Kent Creative Awards 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!

John Vingoe – The Hideout


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 afforded – will help advance my career in ways I hadn’t imagined. All credit to Nathalie Banaigs for putting the project together, a simply marvellous job.’

Ben Horner – The Goodwin Sands Radiogram


It’s been a magical night. Winning this Kent Creative 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.

Chris Dixon, organiser of the Create Music Festival Ashford


I feel honoured to receive this Kent Creative 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.

Emily Peasgood – sound artist


The Kent Creative award gave me confidence to believe in myself and to stand firm and believe in my ideas and creativity.  Thank you for creating a wonderful network and wonderful awards.

Natasha Steer – Urban Innovator – Creatabot


The Kent Creative Awards help us raise our profile with our peers and inspire our team of volunteers and staff to continue to make us the best we can be. Our thanks to all at Kent Creative and to the amazing range of creative practitioners for making Kent such a vibrant place.

Debra McGee – Revelation Ashford