Kent arts charity described as 'integral part of community' at risk of becoming homeless

A Kent charity is at risk of losing its premises due to mounting funding challenges. Margate-based charity Arts Education Exchange said the lack of funding left it financially burdened and on the brink of insolvency.

Founded in 2017, AEE has become a cornerstone of the East Kent arts community, delivering arts education, creative therapies, and advocating for young people facing barriers to state funded education. In an attempt to prevent its closure, the charity is now appealing to the community, potential donors, and funding bodies to help raise £35,000.

The money would help cover rent and utility costs for two years, as well as giving the charity to focus on securing funding for staff salaries and programme costs. Turner Prize winning artist Mark Leckey said: “My own trajectory was enabled by ‘The Boyzee’, the youth club in my hometown of Ellesmere Port. First as a young kid joining the skate team, which took me round the country, and then later as an unemployed school leaver.

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“It’s there and then I really got into music, encouraged by the youth club staff and older members, and it's through music I found my way into making art. This is what AAE does so well and effectively.

“The access point is music - something everyone has an experience of - but once through that window, that portal, you are in the space of art and limitless creativity, and someone's there to reveal that to you. This is a special thing for anyone but extraordinary when it is someone who has little opportunity in life.”

With many children facing challenges such as special educational needs and social-economic barriers, AEE directly addresses this gap. The charity has been working with 137 young people over the last year, including 60 per cent of whom were not in mainstream education and 75 per cent of whom identified as having special educational needs.

To amplify awareness, film director Tom Dream collaborated with AEE on ‘Feels Like Hope’ , a documentary short that showcases the charity’s transformative impact on young lives. The film follows the lived experiences of three young people who have navigated systemic barriers, revealing the critical role creativity plays in youth development.

CEO of AEE Ollie Briggs said: “With the film and advocacy campaign we hope to share the critical role that creativity plays in youth development and the urgent need for systemic changes to better serve vulnerable young people.”

Kent-based organisation Everyday Racism said: "Arts Education Exchange is an integral part of Margate’s community. Their transformative work with young people is more than inspiring—it’s essential. They are on the frontlines, empowering and uplifting the next generation, equipping them with confidence and hope in a challenging world.

“Losing Arts Education Exchange or limiting the work they can do would be a loss to our future, to our community, to the young people who deserve so much more and to the spirit of Margate itself. Now, more than ever, we must come together to save Arts Education.”

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