Art is worth money...

Associated media

Turner Contemporary was one year old on 16 April 2012. In the gallery’s first year 496,554 visitors passed through the doors, more than treble the prediction for the first year of operation.

Turner Contemporary generated an additional £13.8m of value for the Kent economy and supports an estimated 130 (full-time equivalent) jobs in the county.

Victoria Pomery, Director Turner Contemporary commented on:

…the positive impact these visitors have had on the local economy in terms of additional tourism income and in supporting jobs.

The gallery has also had a huge social impact. We were delighted that over 20,000 people had participated in our Learning Programme, over 35,000 more children visited with their families, and around 20,000 of our visitors said that they had never been to an art gallery before

The new gallery for Turner Contemporary was created by Kent County Council, which is the major funder and continues to support the gallery. Partner agencies, which have also provided funding, are SEEDA (£4 million) and Arts Council England (£4.1 million). Thanet District Council provided the land.

Turner Contemporary has announced its second-year programme of exhibitions:

 She Lay Down Deep Beneath the Sea: Tracey Emin at Turner Contemporary  (26 May–23 September 2012) – Margate’s very own artist, recently appointed Professor of Drawing at the Royal Academy Schools.

Alex Katz: Give Me Tomorrow (6 October 2012–13 January 2013) – American figurative artist associated with the Pop art movement.

Carl Andre (26 January–25 May 2013) – Minimalist artist and creator of the famous Tate ‘bricks’ work, Equivalent VIII

Rosa Barba: The Truth is Rarely Pure and Never Simple  (2 February – 6 May 2013) – Berlin-based multimedia artist.

In addition to the exhibitions, Turner Contemporary has commissioned leading contemporary artists Lindsay Seers,  Mark Wallinger (7 July–6 August 2012) and John Smith (1–17 June 2012) to create new site-specific works on show throughout the summer at Turner Contemporary.  Also on show is a new Sunley Gallery commission by Brazilian artist Maria Nepomuceno: Tiempo para Respirar (14 September 2012–24 March 2013).