About Turner Contemporary
Based in Margate, Turner Contemporary is a dynamic visual arts organisation that presents a wide range of exhibitions and learning opportunities to promote the understanding and enjoyment of visual art. Through an exciting programme, and the development of a major new gallery, Turner Contemporary is at the forefront of ambitious plans to revitalise one of the country's oldest seaside resorts. The prospect of a major new gallery is already attracting new investments, businesses and residents to the area.
JMW Turner (1775 - 1851) is Britain's best known painter and he was a regular visitor to Margate throughout his life. He often stayed in a guest house, on the same site that the new gallery is
being built. He drew inspiration from the surrounding coastline and the area's unique quality of light, leading him to remark that 'the skies over Thanet are the loveliest in all Europe'.
Building work started on the new gallery in November 2008 and it will open in 2011. The gallery has been designed by David Chipperfield Architects Ltd, winner of the 2007 RIBA Stirling
Prize and one of the world's most renowned and respected architects. Fully accessible, it will feature superb exhibition spaces, education facilities, a cafe and shop and will be one of the largest galleries in the South East, outside London. The stunning design celebrates JMW Turner's fascination with light. From the spacious naturally lit galleries to its opaque glass exterior, the building will absorb and reflect light to create a distinctive and inspirational building.
The new gallery is a key element of the regeneration of Margate and East Kent. It will be an important resource for local people as well as visitors to the area. The total cost for the gallery is £17.4 million, the majority of which is being met through a partnership of public funding from Kent County Council, Arts Council England and the South East England Development Agency. A charitable trust has been established to raise almost £3 million from the private sector.
