Kent Cultural Baton

The Kent Cultural Baton was officially launched on Thursday 24 June 2010. Below is a video of the day's events. You can find more information on the Kent Cultural Baton at the new baton website.

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Artist Nicole Mollett’s design was chosen for the Kent Cultural Baton, to celebrate culture in the county in the run-up to the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The Kent Cultural Baton is an original piece of art that travels around the county visiting festivals, organisations, individuals, schools and businesses who represent 21 different representations of ‘culture’ and ‘creativity’. These include those from the worlds of art, science, food, gardens, heritage and historic, carnival and street theatre, music and the environment.

The Cultural Olympiad of the 2012 games celebrates the UK’s culture as the host country. Kent is taking part as each host of the ‘baton’ is able to contribute to a special blog that highlights their cultural activities. When the baton ends its journey in 2012, a map of the baton’s journey will be displayed as a reminder of London 2012 for future generations of Kent residents and help build memories for local people about how they took part in the build up to the Games.

KCC Cabinet Member for Community Services Mike Hill said:

“This project is unique and the first of its kind in the country. The Olympic and Paralympic Games are a chance to celebrate culture and will mean we have a lasting memory for future generations to show how we have used this opportunity to recognise our own cultural heritage.”

Proposals by the 4 shortlisted artists were used by community interest organisation Future Creative who has been working with local schools on how the baton could look. They showed the result of their schools outreach project during a high energy event on Thursday 3 December at the Assembly Hall Theatre, Tunbridge Wells, including a running race with Paralympic champion Danny Crates, processions, music and audience participation.

Nicole Mollett’s idea was chosen by a panel and voted on by the public, and consists of a large Airstream caravan which has been adapted and travels around Kent, offering workshops to collect stories from local people and help them get involved in drawing, photography, sound and film as well as being a temporary gallery space. The culminating map of the county will help people explore the lost, forgotten and hidden places of Kent.

The baton aims to inspire people who take part, to be creative. Participants have the opportunity to contribute to a project, which in time helps build pride across the whole of Kent. It is for a wide range of people regardless of their interests or hobbies, and they have the chance to share their knowledge and talents within their community and beyond.

Nicole Mollett said:

“I am delighted. It is such an honour and a fantastic opportunity to be able to make my idea actually happen. I look forward to expanding my work across Kent, inspiring people to rediscover and reflect on what makes their local area unique in the lead up to 2012.”

As part of her submission, Nicole explained:

“The Kent Cultural Baton will use the idea of how Google Earth and GPS systems allows travel from world views to an image of someone’s back garden within seconds, suggesting that nowhere is uncharted or distant anymore. Yet within this technological age so much knowledge is still lost or hidden. The travelling pod project, intends to reveal the idea, that within every world there is a world, and that within every small village there is a million fascinating stories to be told.”

If you are interested in hosting the Kent Cultural Baton, please email arts@kent.gov.uk to register your interest.