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Creative Medway

Dancer with swirling red scarfMedway is home to a wide variety of creative groups and networks. Whether you are a writer, an actor, a poet, a musician, a photographer, a dancer, a film maker, someone who works with traditional and modern crafts or something else entirely, there will be a group for you.

If you know of any suitable groups or networks that could be added to the list below, please send the details to your local library.

Magazines and listings

These magazines are based in Medway, and contain information about local groups and events.

Creatabot

Creatabot is a social media website and online magazine for creative individuals lead by the local community. Creatabot aims to provide a one stop shop website for all vital information and news involving creative work. Updates are provided through press releases and social media to gather information on creative news, events and opportunities.

Medway Eyes

Medway Eyes, a locally based charity, support, promote and collaborate with Medway artists and venues. They also run the independent newspaper, The Medway Broadside.

Nubia magazine

Nubia magazine aims to inspire and celebrate the success of members of the BME community through the promotion of positive images and experiences. It also aims to create a forum for engagement that will promote community cohesion.

Rochester Litfest

Rochester Litfest aims to bring writers, performers, directors, producers and film makers together, anyone, in fact, whose work has creative writing at its heart. We’ll be looking for challenges and events, and the chance to collaborate with like minded folk.

Wow magazine

WOW magazine is Medway and Maidstone’s first, culturally focused, full colour, free print magazine, also available as an e-edition online. It is an arts and entertainment guide featuring high quality, visually appealing content and comprehensive listings.

Networks, networking and social events woman with typewriter

These networks organise informal social events, to encourage local artists at any stage of their development to meet and socialise with other artists. For more information, please contact the organiser direct.

Tuttle 101

Tuttle 101 is an informal get together for like-minded people. It aims to encourage people to work together on projects, in person and online, by opening channels of communication and sharing ideas.  It usually meets once a month in Rochester.

Writers Rendevous

Writers Rendezvous, an informal quarterly get-together for writers, take place in Rochester. For more details, email Philip Kane at redtengu@btinternet.com.

Medway Organisations List for Everyone (MOLE)

Other groups, clubs and organisations can be found on the MOLE database.

Library events

Medway Libraries organises regular events, including creative workshops, talks and author events. Events are free unless otherwise stated.

Several creative crafting groups meet at library locations. If you are interested in using the library as a meeting place for your own group, please contact your local library.

Other regular events in Medway

Include the Fuse Arts FestivalLove Music Hate Racism; Wigmore Arts Festival; Medway Festival of Music, Speech and Drama; Medway Open Studios and the Duncan Rand one-act play festival run by the Medway Little Theatre.

History of creativity and creative people in Medway

art suppliesMedwway has a rich and varied history of artists, from the uniquely talented but tragic Richard Dadd through to the founding of the international stuckist art moment. Medway Archives and Local Studies Centre (MALSC) holds information about local artists in the Medway area, including a special Charles Dickens collection. The centre also holds a collection of work by and about contemporary local writers and artists. Information about these collections are available from the staff at MALSC.

Art and art galleries

It is possible to display art work as a group or individually at Rainham library, Strood library and Wigmore library. Please contact the library for more details.

Other local galleries include Nucleus Arts, LV21 and the Rochester Art Gallery. Information about other galleries and creative venues in Medway is available on the council's creative industries page.

Photo of a lightbulbOther sources of information

  • Medway Council Arts Team has a strong commitment to providing the best arts and entertainment possible by offering a comprehensive programme of visual art exhibitions and projects, an active music and performing arts programme with specialist dance provision, a range of youth arts initiatives and a literature programme.
  • What's on Medway is your online guide to events and entertainment in the local area. Medway is steeped in culture and offers an exciting array of festivals, events and entertainment throughout the year.  
  • Customers own is maintained by Medway Libraries to encourage and support local writers, and includes information about the resources available in the library.
  • MOLE (Medway Organisations List for Everyone) includes details about local theatres and theatre groups, writers and artists group meetings.
  • University for the Creative Arts. World-class creative university with courses in Art, Design, Graphics, Fashion, Architecture and Media.
  • Medway Adult and Community Learning Service (MACLS) offers a range of challenging yet enjoyable arts and crafts courses intended to develop your interests, creativity, skills and knowledge.

Disclaimer

Views expressed on any of these websites are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Medway Council.

 

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