As Margate’s creative scene continues to evolve, April Brown, Community Engagement Manager at the Margate Creative Land Trust (MCLT), has been instrumental in building relationships between the Trust and the local community. With over 13 years of experience as a cultural producer and engagement specialist, April’s work focuses on fostering inclusivity, co-designing programs, and ensuring that everyone in Margate has access to the creative opportunities emerging in the town. In this Q&A, April shares insights into her role, the challenges she’s encountered, and how the Trust is supporting Margate’s burgeoning creative economy.
Q&A with April Brown
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your role as the Community Engagement Manager?
Over the past 13 years, I’ve dedicated myself to the role of a cultural producer and engagement specialist, working tirelessly to support not-for-profit and charitable arts organisations in fostering inclusivity. At MCLT, my role is to engage with the local community and the creative sector in Margate, co-designing projects and programs that place local and creative communities at the forefront. My primary objective is to raise awareness, inspire, and encourage local people to engage with the Trust, particularly those not currently active or included in the arts and culture scene. I also coordinate our Community Panel, which is currently made up of 12 incredible individuals from the local community who support us in the development and co-design of our outreach and support programmes to ensure that the offer that we build and deliver meets the needs of Margate’s communities. In addition, I’ve just become the new Chair of the Thanet Youth Network, a network for organisations and practitioners – employed and freelance – working creatively with young people in Thanet.
What types of feedback have you received from the community, and how does it influence the Trust’s projects?
Since stepping into the role three months ago, I have been trying to engage with key stakeholders in the community to learn about their goals and needs and see where we might be able to support or add value to their offerings. I’ve also been talking to community members who are not currently engaging with the creative sector in Margate and who feel excluded or left out. The feedback so far has highlighted a need for more inclusive practices and processes to demystify the creative landscape in Margate and the opportunities available here. It has also underscored the importance of supporting the sustainability of creative businesses in a challenging economy. We need to be more open and transparent about the ways in which we can help and work together. As a result of this, the projects we’re planning to deliver over the next year are designed to be collaborative, involving the community in the planning and design of initiatives. This approach aims to tackle some of the issues many face, fostering a sense of shared responsibility and engagement.
What are some of the biggest challenges you face in community engagement, and how do you overcome them?
Building trust is one of the most significant challenges we face, especially when community members feel let down by past local initiatives. Overcoming this requires a commitment to transparency and inclusion. We understand the general distrust or scepticism towards institutional practices and are working hard to build trust and deliver on our promises.
In a cost-of-living crisis, it can be difficult for people to see the benefits of the arts or be motivated to engage in creative endeavours when they are struggling to have their basic needs met. There is a widening class divide in our community that can’t be overlooked and my role is to bridge the gap between the people living in Margate and the creative job market, work collaboratively to enhance local workforce skills, and increase access to space and resources.
How do you determine the types of creative spaces needed in the community?
We want the sector and the creative community in Margate to help steer us toward the specific types of spaces that are needed and wanted. We have our Creative Spaces survey findings, but we need to keep testing the market. We need to talk to as many people as possible to understand what the most pressing demands are and ensure that the creative spaces we are promoting to the public are inclusive and equitable.
What initiatives or events does the Trust have in place to celebrate and promote local creatives?
We plan to deliver a series of events, workshops, and projects over the next year to celebrate the local creative landscape, promote creative practices and processes, develop skills, and build capacity. We plan to partner with local creative organisations to co-design or co-deliver them to audiences that may not have engaged before or to create new mutually beneficial ways of working. We’re launching our drop-in form on our website to meet more community members we haven’t already connected with. We’ll also be running a series of discussion events aimed at particular sectors over the coming months. Keep an eye open for news and updates about our initiatives on our website and social media channels.
How does the Trust support emerging artists and creative enterprises in overcoming barriers to entry?
There needs to be a consistent and collaborative effort between schools, colleges, and the sector to promote and support creative careers and create a sustainable talent pipeline that allows those who are less privileged to access opportunities. We want to partner with education providers, artists, and creative businesses to make creative practices and processes transparent, enabling emerging creatives to make informed decisions about their futures. We also want to support economic growth and job creation in the South East, which currently has a lot of untapped potential in terms of investment and skills gaps. Local young people should not have to move to a city to find a creative job, and it is vital that the Trust advocates for Margate to be a thriving, resilient, and innovative regional creative hub.
April’s work at Margate Creative Land Trust is essential to building a strong, inclusive, creative community in Margate. By engaging with local voices and co-designing programmes, April ensures that MCLT’s initiatives reflect the real needs of Margate’s creative sector and the broader community. The Trust remains committed to fostering inclusivity, bridging gaps, and providing the space and support needed for creative enterprises to thrive.
If you’re a local creative, MCLT wants to hear from you! Drop in for a cuppa and share your ideas with us. We are continually expanding our networks and understanding of Margate’s creative landscape, and your input is crucial. Visit our website to fill out the drop-in form and stay updated with our upcoming events, workshops, and programmes.
