A new initiative has been launched to capture the heart of Folkestone as it was, as it is now and how it could be in the future.
Folkestone: Past, Present and Future invites residents, visitors and business owners to explore Folkestone by delving through its visual history, learning about the current area and by asking students – the future of the town – to give their perspective.
People are encouraged to celebrate Folkestone and it’s changes either by digging out old photos, taking new ones and imagining what spaces will look like in the years to come.
Images taken and collated from the project will culminate in a photography exhibition on 11 and 12 October 2024.
Photos can be emailed to folkeabouttown@gmail.com and it is planned that a drop-in session can be organised for anyone who has a print and cannot copy and send digitally.
The aim is that the exhibit will raise awareness of planned improvements to the town centre by reflecting and acknowledging the developments over its recent history.
A free one-off photography tour is also being run from 6pm to 8pm on Wednesday 17 July as part of the project. Local historical tour guide and photographer, Tony Quarrington will lead up to 25 people in a tour exploring Folkestone’s town centre through 20 objects. Tickets for the tour can be booked online.
The initiative is part of the Folke About Town programme which aims to add vibrancy to the heart of the town – specifically Sandgate Road and Guildhall Street, mirroring the physical regeneration planned for the wider area. The series of test events is being co-produced with businesses and individuals in the community in the hopes that successful ones will become self-sustaining in the future.
Cllr Rich Holgate, F&HDC’s Cabinet Member for the District Economy said: “Our byline for this project has been: before we know where we’re going, we should know where we’ve been. I’m delighted that we can encourage people to capture the history that lies at the heart of Folkestone.
“All ages, abilities and types of photographic devices are welcome. Whether you’ve got a smartphone, or you favour a long lens camera come along to meet like-minded people and discover hidden history in Folkestone town centre.’
For more news about the Folke About Town series please see the Folkestone and Hythe Experience the Extraordinary website and on Instagram for the latest updates.