Join the conversation...

Creative Margate are running a series of events called 'Margate Conversations' as a new way of getting people to talk about the town and involve them in its development.

Next conversation: TBC

Want to attend the next conversation?
Please call 01843 609336 or email creativemargate@gmail.com

The last conversation #3

On Thursday 24 February guests joined us for to discuss 'Finding the way to Margate's heart...' which used the casestudy 'Pie Days and Holidays' to get the conversation started.

To find out more about Pie Days and Holidays visit www.pie-days.co.uk and www.sophieherxheimer.com

Conversation: #2 Monday 24 January 2011 / Seaside bar / Winter gardens / Margate

From drape jackets to soul belts - Revealing Margate’s pop culture

Guest speaker - Britishness expert Iain Aitch
Iain Aitch was born in Margate and lived here until the age of 18. He is an author, journalist and media commentator, having written for the Guardian, Times, Daily Telegraph and Financial Times, as well as appearing on BBC Breakfast and Sky News. His latest book 'We're British, Innit' is a lexicon of Britishness published by HarperCollins. He has written extensively for the national press about the arts and pop culture, including several articles on arts and culture in Margate.

Topic of conversation

From drape jackets to soul belts - Revealing Margate’s pop culture

Iain will be giving a personal perspective on the pop cultural history of Margate from the birth of the teenager; 1950s to the present day, with particular reference to youth culture and youth cults. He will take us on a trip from Teddy Boys (and Girls) to Mods, skinheads, punks and

beyond, as well as posing the question of how we can recognise, explore and celebrate Margate's relationships to these often edgy subcultures.

Further reading:

• Folk Devils and Moral Panics by Stanley Cohen (Routledge)
  A book from a sociologist that would be one for the more academic reader and explores the origins of Mods and Rockers.
• The Teds by Chris Steele-Perkins (Dewi Lewis) a photographic history of the first youth cult Skins by Gavin Watson (Independent Music Press) is a great book on the skinhead youth cult, with a vast amount of photos.
• The Soul Stylists by Paolo Hewitt (Mainstream) explores the well-dressed working class fashion cults from mod to casual.
• Street Style by Ted Polhemus (PYMCA) a study of youth cults and fashion from a visual and cultural perspective.
• Punk Rock an Oral History by John Robb (Ebury) Burning Britain by Ian Glasper (Cherry Red)  and The Day the Country Died by Ian Glasper (Cherry Red) Two books on the punk that most people forgot, which happened in the early 1980s. Dominic Sandbrook's books give a good context to the formation of these groups as well as pictures of Britain over the various periods his books cover.
• http://johnpeeldotnet.wordpress.com/2009/03/11/youll-never-be-sixteen-again/ is a great radio series on teenagers from John Peel.

We will shortly be updating this page with the conversation main points.

What was the last conversation? 

Who are Creative Margate?

Creative Margate is a partnership of cultural organisations and local authorities who oversee

the development of the cultural regeneration in Margate, guided by the Margate Creative Vision. You can read the Creative Vision document and delivery plan to see what's involved.

The partnership includes Margate Theatre Royal, Dreamland, Turner Contemporary, Kent County Council, Thanet District Council, Margate Renewal Partnership and English Heritage. It currently sits within Margate Renewal Partnership and reports to its Board.