history

The 1994 opening celebrations for the Channel Tunnel in Folkestone brought some extraordinary creative talent to town. Within the teams of artists involved in the work, an alliance was formed which still resonates in the town today.

Art Hewitt, recently relocated from the North of England, had many years experience of working in celebratory and performing arts. He met Simon Bolton, a local visual artist and teacher, who was actively involved in the Folkestone creative scene. After the Tunnel opening, this newly formed duo set about a much longer term artistic adventure.

Folkestone had always had a strong cultural identity, but Art and Simon recognised its potential as a town that would be prepared to embrace a different creative experience. In 1995, with a small start up grant from the organisers of the Channel Tunnel project, Strange Cargo the arts company was formally constituted and began its journey of creative evolution.

With its new Joint Artistic Directors, Strange Cargo was established as a company that delivered high quality celebratory arts projects - the like of which had not been seen in the region before. Involving large numbers of people in the company’s work was always a core objective and its principles, of Access, Participation and Excellence, which underpinned these initial beginnings, still hold today.

Early work to create Lord Mayor's Show London entries for Moore Stephens, BT, Woolwich and Saga, and Canterbury Festival and local authority commissions, helped to secure the company’s reputation, and provide training opportunities for the creative teams of freelance artists that have continued to work with the company over the years. Art and Simon planned to give Strange Cargo two years to establish itself, or they would bow out gracefully - their ambition was to deliver creative excellence, or nothing at all.

In 1997, Strange Cargo found its base in Georges House, at the top of the Old High Street, and at the beginning of 1998, became a registered charity, at which point visual artist Brigitte Orasinski joined the team. Georges House Gallery opened its doors permanently and, through subsidy from the company’s other earned income, has continually exhibited fortnightly exhibitions supporting the advancement and careers of over 1000 artists.

When Art and Simon left for pastures new in 2004, Brigitte became the next Artistic Director and long term associate artist Lisa Oulton joined the core team. Strange Cargo continues to develop and evolve its creative practice, actively embracing a cross artform approach to its work, and always actively seeking other people’s involvement in the work we produce.