A new arts centre and a host of cultural events have been planned in Gravesend to welcome people back as the borough emerges from lockdown.

The new St George’s Arts Centre in St George’s Shopping Centre has been made possible with the help of £323,204 awarded from the government’s Getting Building Fund, allocated by the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP).

Gravesham council says the new centre will combine with the St Andrew’s centre to form "dual focal points in Gravesham, showcasing the council’s commitment to arts, culture and heritage."

The centrepiece of the summer's cultural calendar will be Estuary 2021, a large-scale arts festival that celebrates the lives, landscapes and histories of the Thames Estuary, from May 22 to June 13.

Encompassing 107 miles of the North Kent and South Essex coastlines, the festival features contemporary artworks, discussion and events which explore and respond to powerful themes resonant to the estuary.

Highlights in Gravesend include Sadie Hennessy's Golden Years, a series of shop windows at St George's Shopping Centre featuring the collections of Gravesham people and the stories behind them, alongside a golden ice cream van playing people's favourite songs, co-commissioned with Gravesham council.

Cohesion Plus's Identity, a downloadable audio work and online film, features diverse local communities and looks at the multiple identities people hold.

A sculpture and audio work by Jasleen Kaur, entitled "The first thing I did was to kiss the ground", is being installed at the Town Pier, while Bryony Gillard's "Unctuous Between Fingers" is showing at St Andrew's arts centre and explores an archive of pressed seaweeds and algae collected by women in the 1800s.

Marcus Coates' "Our Time" will use the songs and calls of threatened local bird species, which will be heard emanating from Gravesend Clock Tower.

Running alongside Estuary 2021 is the Gravesham Estuary Fringe Festival, which will include performances and artwork from people across the borough, brought together by Gravesham Arts Salon.

It includes work which has responded to the pandemic in a sustainable and creative way, ranging from comedy to rap and poetry, to musical theatre, art exhibitions, and the daily Fringe TV broadcasts from Studio (Café) No84.

Cllr Shane Mochrie-Cox, Gravesham council’s cabinet member for community and leisure, said the cultural programme had a vital role to play in the recovery from the pandemic.

He said: “Studies show how arts and culture help develop cohesive and strong communities and that is more important than ever after a year when people have been forced to live in isolation from other human beings.

“Gravesham has always had a thriving arts sector and our recently launched arts and cultural strategy "A Creative Gravesham" coupled with our regular Arts Grants to commission local art sets out how we are planning to reinforce and further develop the Borough’s reputation as a place where arts, heritage and culture are an integral part of our identity and reputation.”

Gravesend will be looking its best to welcome people back this summer thanks to Bloomin Lovely, a scheme of town centre dressing aimed at creating a bright, welcoming and vibrant atmosphere.

It will be adorned with traditional summer flower planters, flags and bunting, partly funded with the newly-launched Make It grants for artists.

A carnival-themed shop trail, scarecrow competition and flower-themed market and workshops are also planned.

Cllr Mochrie-Cox added: “We have a range of activities and events planned across the summer of a size and scale that we are sure will help make people feel safe and comfortable as we work our way out of lockdown restrictions.

“We are so looking forward to welcoming people back and enjoying new and exciting cultural experiences around the borough.”

For details of the summer’s events, visit www.woodville.co.uk or www.visitgravesend.co.uk or follow The Woodville and Visit Gravesend on Facebook and Twitter.

For more information on Estuary 21 visit estuaryfestival.com.

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