Many of the creatives in the room were recipients of Creative Estuary’s Co-commission Programme Fund, Northfleet Place Partnership Programme, and Thurrock Creative Infrastructure Programme, a reflection of the talent and ideas being supported across Kent and Essex.

Hosted by the British Council and curated by Creative Estuary, the event created space to connect, reflect and be inspired. Highlights included:

• Inspiring insights from Kwame Safo on creativity and amplifying grassroots voices on international stages
• Sho Shibata on the power of access to the arts and building a sense of belonging through outdoor arts
• Luke Branch sharing a decade of Cool Thing and the ripple effects of DIY culture
• Azzees Minott on meaningfully engaging young people and creating opportunities that empower young people to shape their futures and communities.

Throughout the day, the ideas and energy were captured in a live-scribed mural by Think Visually‘s Jess and Ollie, a collective reflection of the room and a vision for what’s next.

“This knowledge exchange event was a celebration of the huge talent growing in the Estuary with a room full of leaders learning together.” – Lorraine Cox, Director of Creative Estuary.

From conversations over coffee to deep-dive workshops and new connections, the day truly reflected the breadth and depth of creativity across the Estuary.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us, shared their work, and contributed their voice. It was a fantastic day!

Please enjoy photos of the day below.