Working Class In The Arts Symposium

About this event

Quench Gallery presents a symposium event exploring class within the art world at The Turner Contemporary in Margate Join us at Turner Contemporary for an event that will explore the theme of class within the art world and whether or not it still plays an active role in determining success today. Initiated by Quench Gallery in Margate, who last year created the Working Class in the Arts Development Programme, to support local working class artists find ways to overcome career barriers related to finance and class. We now want to invite the public to engage with a wider conversation about social mobility in the arts. We will hear from a small number of invited guests from working class backgrounds who will share their experiences of navigating their way through the art world, followed by a panel discussion and Q & A to explore these ideas in more detail. We will hear from Quench Gallery co-director Gemma Pharo, Communications Consultant and Working Arts Club founder Meg Molloy, artist Jonathan Baldock and artist and founder of Working Class Creatives, Seren Metcalfe. We also invite visitors to join us before the event to see local exhibitions at Carl Freedman Gallery and Projects Kavel Rafferty and the event will be followed by a private social gathering at The George and Heart Pub for a post symposium discussion. Schedule 11.30am - Visitors are invited to meet at Carl Freedman Gallery to visit Lindsey Mendick’s solo exhibition followed by a visit to Projects Kavel Rafferty for Terence Wilde’s solo show. (Optional) 1.00pm - Visitors arrive at Turner Contemporary. 1.05 pm - Gemma Pharo from Quench Gallery will give an introduction to the Working Class in the Arts Project. 1.15pm - Meg Molloy to introduce Working Arts Club Project. 1.30pm - Jonathan Baldock to give a presentation of their practice. 1.55pm - Seren Metcalfe to give a presentation of their practice and about Working Class Creatives. 2.20pm - TEA BREAK 2.45pm - PANEL DISCUSSION with Jonathan Baldock, Seren Metcalfe and Gemma Pharo led by Meg Molloy 3.15pm - Questions from the floor 4.00pm - Symposium Finishes 4.15pm - 6.00pm - Reconvene at The George and Heart pub for a private post-symposium social opportunity, facilitated by Gemma Pharo. (Optional) Participants: Gemma Pharo (b. 1985, London) lives and works in Margate. She is Co-Director of Quench Gallery, leading community engagement programmes including Quench Young Artists and Working Class in the Arts. Working across arts, education and social practice, she develops projects that challenge barriers to cultural participation and support greater access to the arts for underrepresented communities. Driven by a belief that creativity should not be limited by class, circumstance or access, her work centres on creating opportunities for people who have traditionally been excluded from cultural spaces. Alongside her work at Quench, she collaborates with CICs, artists and community organisations as an access support worker and facilitator in creative youth settings. Previously, she worked in film, television and media, including roles with Time Out and CBBC. Meg Molloy is a Cultural Strategy and Communications Consultant working with galleries, organisations and artists in the UK and internationally. With over a decade of experience in the arts, she has led communications spanning public and media relations, digital platforms, brand strategy and audience development. She has also worked in artist and museum liaison, and across creative, institutional and commercial contexts. Meg has worked on landmark building projects and high-profile launches, including those at Stephen Friedman Gallery, Venice Biennale, Dreamland Margate, Studio Voltaire and Dulwich Picture Gallery. She has led global communications campaigns for exhibitions and art fairs, and worked with both emerging and established artists. In 2024, Meg founded Working Arts Club, a network supporting arts professionals from working-class backgrounds. Comprising o