about us

Founded in 2015 and situated in Margate’s former Woolworths building, The Margate School of Art provides arts education for all audiences: workshops and short courses, year-long programmes and a masters in fine art. We are guided by the principles of ‘Art, Society, Nature’, committed to collaboration, knowledge-sharing and creativity which is sustainable and socially engaged.

Upstairs, we manage over 30 artists’ studios, with studio-holders working across fine art, design, film and more. Our gallery exhibitions show work by local artists and community groups as well as nationally and internationally recognised artists and designers.

At The Margate School of Art we believe that art is capable of giving a voice to experiences that aren’t always heard or can’t be put into words. We work with communities in Margate and beyond to explore these experiences, promote dialogue and develop new skills and ideas.

patron

Arnold Schwartzman OBE RDI FRSA

Arnold Schwartzman, Patron of The Margate School of Art, is an internationally acclaimed graphic designer and an Academy Award-winning filmmaker.

Born in London, he studied graphic design at the Thanet School of Art & Crafts, Margate, graduating from Canterbury College of Art in 1955. He has held a number of graphic design positions including: as the graphic designer for the innovative television pop show Ready, Steady, Go!

As a member of the board of the Conran Design Group, a regular illustrator for The Sunday Times Magazine, an advertising agency creative director, and as a television commercials director. Later moving to Hollywood, California in 1978 to become the design director for the Saul Bass and Associates.

In 1982 he received an Oscar as the producer & director of the feature documentary, Genocide. The same year Schwartzman was appointed the director of design for the 1984 Los Angeles. Olympic Games.

In 2002 he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, OBE, by H.M. Queen Elizabeth II, and in 2006 conferred the distinction of Royal Designer, RDI. He became the founding chair of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences documentary branch in 2001. He is the author of over twenty non-fiction books and in 2023 was admitted as an Honorary Freeman of Margate.

board members and trustees

Bruno Cooren

Director

Hugo Fenwick

Director and Trustee

Denise Roudette

Director and Trustee

James Shea

Chair, Director and Trustee

who are we

Jenny Duff

Finance Administrator

Tara Garden

Technical Facilities Coordinator

Course Coordinator

Ed Gray

IT Coordinator (volunteer)

Ben Hawkins

Co-Artistic Director: Learning & Widening Participation

Ruyin Nabizadeh

Co-Artistic Director: Research & Artist Development

Dominic Rose

Analogue Facilities Coordinator