Strange Cargo - Art

01/09/2026

Gallery is all painted and ready for our next group show Revellious! Private View this Thursday!

Kate Knight and Liv Pennington are delighted to announce a group exhibition being held at Strange Cargo

‘Revellious’ is an exhibition of 12 contemporary artists whose practices embrace materiality as an act of joy, excess, and resistance. Drawing on the word’s origins in festivity and
expressive excitement, the works presented revel in surface, texture, and process—celebrating the physical intelligence of materials while refusing restraint. Clay, fabric, pigment, found matter, and bodily gesture become sites of pleasure and insistence, where making is both labour and celebration. These artists approach material not as neutral substance, but as something animated, unruly, and alive with history. Rhyming with rebellious, Revellious positions material engagement as a quietly defiant force. Against systems that have historically minimized women’s labour and tactile knowledge, the exhibition foregrounds practices that are exuberant, excessive, and unapologetically sensorial.

Festivity here is not frivolous; it is strategic. Through acts of making that are boisterous, playful, and richly embodied, the artists assert presence, agency, and delight—reclaiming materiality as a space of both pleasure and power.

Private View:
Thursday 3rd September 6-9pm
Free Drinks
ADMISSION FREE
All works for sale

Opening times
4th September - 13th September

Judith Alder
Ceri Elliston
Joanna Jones
Kate Knight Artist
Kika Sroka-Miller
Jennifer Nieuwland
SUZANNE O’HAIRE
Martina O’Shea
Liv Pennington
Lucy Renton
Twinkle Troughton
Sue Withers

Strange Cargo Arts
The Factory
43 Geraldine Rd
Cheriton. CT19 4BD

Image courtesy of the artist:
Sue Withers
Mini Me (Alien Crescent)

21/08/2026

What an amazing day at Folkestone West! 🎉✨
We were absolutely delighted to unveil two brand new bronze sculptures, Passenger No. 1 created by artist Adam Hynes and Cheriton Community Network created Blooming Lovely, as part of the 10th edition of The Resident Platform.

A huge thank you to Adam Hynes, and to all the incredible staff and volunteers at Cheriton Community Network, for producing such fantastic sculptures and for bringing the community together throughout the process. Your creativity, enthusiasm and hard work have made these wonderful new additions to Folkestone West possible. 👏🧡

And a massive thank you to everyone who came along to the unveiling to show their support. It was fantastic to see so many people there celebrating the artists, the community and these brilliant new works.

We’d also like to say a very special thank you to Southeastern Railway for funding this pair of sculptures and supporting public art in our community. 🚆🎨

The Resident Platform continues to grow, with an amazing collection of contemporary sculpture created by artists, local residents and community groups. We’re incredibly proud of what has been achieved together and can’t wait to see what comes next!

A special thank you to foundry man Andrew Baldwin for the beautiful casting.

17/08/2026

You’re Invited: The Resident Platform 10th Edition

Join Strange Cargo at Folkestone West Railway Station on Thursday 20 August for the unveiling of two brand new public bronze sculptures as part of the 10th edition of The Resident Platform.

Created by artist Adam Hynes and Cheriton Community Network (CCN), the two companion sculptures will be unveiled at 12:30pm on Station Road, on the side of the station for trains going towards Dover.

After the unveiling, please join us for refreshments in the ticket office on the other side of the station.

Folkestone West has become one of the best places to experience contemporary sculpture in the public realm. Alongside discovering Adam and CCN’s new works, take some time to explore the other sculptures that have been sited at Folkestone West through The Resident Platform programme.

The Resident Platform features work by an exciting range of contemporary artists, including Kira Freije, currently nominated for the Turner Prize, and Clara Hastrup, who has just won the Mark Tanner Sculpture Prize, alongside many other amazing artists and the incredible sculptures made by community groups & residents of Cheriton. Over 100 local residents have taken part in workshops at Strange Cargo, learning about the bronze casting process and directly contributing to the making of the sculptures now on display at the station.

We’re incredibly proud of the way our community has come together and got involved in The Resident Platform programme!Come and celebrate the latest additions to this growing public collection of contemporary sculpture. We’d love to see you there!

📍 Folkestone West Railway Station
📅 Thursday 20 August
⏰ 12:30pm
📌 Station Road side — Dover-bound side
🥂 Refreshments afterwards in the ticket office

Everyone is welcome.

17/07/2026

Featured in the latest Leas Lift newsletter is me remembering the Leas Lift from childhood as part of their wonderful Oral History project.

This interview is part of the Folkestone Leas Lift Oral History Pro...

15/07/2026

What an unforgettable way to celebrate 30 years of Charivari Day! 🥳☀️

We just wanted to say one more HUGE thank you to everyone who helped make this year's event so special.

To the schools, everyone who came along to cheer us on, our incredible artists, amazing volunteers, brilliant bands, the shops that displayed our posters, and all of our wonderful sponsors, thank you. Charivari Day simply wouldn't happen without your support, energy and enthusiasm. ❤️

A special thank you to for hosting such a fantastic shaker workshop, and to for bringing their brilliant costumes and creativity to the day.

Seeing the streets of Folkestone filled with music, colour, smiles and community in the sunshine made this year's 30th celebration one we'll never forget.

A huge thank you to for capturing the day so beautifully with an incredible reel. Please share our reel to help spread the word about Strange Cargo and Charivari Day.

Bands:


Sponsors:
.buses

Thank you all for making our 30th Charivari Day so memorable. We can't wait to do it all again! 🎉

11/07/2026

What an incredible 30th Charivari Day!!!!! We would like to say a massive thank you to all of you! The schools, people in the audience, the incredible artists team, the volunteers, the brilliant bands, the shops who put up posters and our sponsors!

Without all of you it wouldn’t happen 🥳☺️

Big thank you to for running such a great shaker workshop.

It was so special seeing the whole community out and in the Folkestone sunshine, it really was the best day.

Thank you to for the fantastic reel.

Bands -


Sponsors -

.buses

09/07/2026

06/07/2026

The 30th Charivari Day Carnival is this Saturday 11th July! Come join us for the most incredible spectacle of noise, colour and community!

Please share to spread the word

Starts 2pm from The Stade and works its way up The Old High Street, through the Town Centre ending at The Leas Bandstand.

Featuring costumes and carnival builds made and paraded by 30 schools in the district. This is the biggest Charivari Day to date!

Featuring some of the UKs best carnival bands Batala Portsmouth, UK Carnival Collective Big Flava Band Beatroots Bateria

Big thank you to our sponsors whos generosity has helped it happen Southeastern Folkestone & Hythe District Council Kent County Council .buses ChannelRotaryInFolkestone Creative Folkestone

02/07/2026

We’re again supporting this year’s Folkestone favourite handcrafted street carnival, Charivari Day – this time in its 30th iteration! 🎉

🪅 The annual Strange Cargo - Art summer parade organised by local schools and organisations is taking to the streets to celebrate its lasting legacy in our town.

🥁 Big crowds are expected as well bands, dancers and giant carnival builds which will march through the town centre and up to The Leas bandstand.

🎶 If you’re in Folkestone on Saturday 11 July from 2pm you can't miss it ➡️ www.strangecargo.org.uk

28/06/2026

Charivari Day preparation is well underway and this year, the 30th! Charivari Day Carnival promises to be the best yet!

If you are a home schooler there are walker costume kits at Folkestone Town Hall and The Folkestone Bookshop ! If you get there and they have run out please DM us and we will make you up a kit. If you are a home schooler and see this post please share with your network 🥳