sebastian cater – chief operating officer of Creative Folkestone

Sebastian Cater is the new Chief Operating Officer for Creative Folkestone (CF). From Sadler’s Wells to Quarterhouse, Sebastian was lured to Folkestone by the culture, artworks and copious places to walk his dogs. Folkelife wanted to find out the next steps for Creative Folkestone under its new Chief Operating Officer/Deputy Chief Executive.

“The first interaction I had with a Creative Folkestone project was way before we actually became custodians of it… about fifteen years ago I made a ‘pilgrimage’ to Prospect Cottage.  As with many people growing up in the 80s, Derek Jarman was a legendary figure for many reasons, and his Dungeness home had an iconic status. My visit had a profound effect on me, instilling a feeling of both calm and unease, with a unique combination of the beautiful house and garden with the looming presence of the nuclear power station in the distance. It remains one of my favourite places in the world, and I am so proud to be working for an organisation that looks after it for everyone, and which helps preserve Jarman’s legacy. 

“About nine years ago we made the move to Kent from London.  We’d got a couple of dogs, and walking around East London with them, we saw the area in a different light!  We got into Kent and started to discover the usual places such as Canterbury and Margate, but the pull of Folkestone was strong.  Not only are the food offerings incredibly tempting, the Triennial is such a draw.  The outdoor Artworks mean you discover the town by exploring the locations where the artworks are situated.”

creative folkestone

“Creative Folkestone has so many strings to its bow.  There’s a lot to get your head around in terms of the impact and influence it has on the town, as well as understanding all the partnerships and collaborations it has. The Triennial is easy to explain, in a way.  It’s often the first route people have in being introduced to the town if they’re exploring the South East coastline.  But then you notice our logo on the properties on The Old High Street and bit by bit the understanding of the scale of the charity’s work grows and grows. 

“Depending on who you are and what your interests are you’ll have a different interaction with the CF.  It took me a while to familiarise myself with all the projects, but the more I understood, the more I liked Folkestone, as well as the organisation.   For example, The Old High Street and Creative Quarter is where we have properties for creatives to rent, to work and to live.  Quarterhouse is our venue where we run and host events all year round.  The Folkestone Book Festival is our biggest annual event; the Triennial is obviously our biggest event overall.  As well as music and comedy nights that come to us on tour, we’re also involved with other local festivals and events throughout the year.

“I actually went for this job about 5 or 6 years ago, and I didn’t get it!  But I’m always philosophical about these things, and it wasn’t the right time for me. Then this year I applied for the permanent job, after taking on the Interim COO role for a short period, and thankfully am sitting here now as the COO and Deputy Chief Executive!”

accessible art

“I went to Bretton Hall, which is now part of the Unversity of Leeds, and the campus was situated in the Yorkshire Sculpture Park.  I’m very familiar with outdoor sculpture and how it speaks and responds to the environment.  It becomes part of the space, and therefore accessible by so many people who may never come across it in the more formal setting of a gallery. These sculptures are tactile and physical, you can interact with them, and that makes it far less intimidating.  My degree was in arts and education and there’s so much crossover with the learnings from that course and the work the CF does.”

“There’s a significant number of children and young people who engage with our Artworks, and because of our community engagement work, we create ambassadors for our permanent collection.  They feel a greater sense of ownership towards them as a result. Here, you can touch the exhibits, interact with them, and make them part of your favourite places to spend time with loved ones over a picnic or walk.”  

the book festival

“This is another part of the CF that our community has taken great pride in.  The Book Festival has been running for such a long time, and has a huge following.  Sophie Haydock is our Curator and since starting Sophie has been out in the community, meeting local Book Groups and listening to what people want to see programmed. It was a huge success in 2024.  There was such a buzz around Folkestone for the 10 days of the festival. We all can’t wait for next year, so no pressure there!”

the creative quarter

“One of the charity’s founding aims was to provide living and working space for creative people, as a way of regenerating the town. If you look back more than 20 years, the core travel industry had declined and left a big hole in the heart of the town. Folkestone port had closed so there were fewer people coming into town. Now, we have a situation where people are coming here for new reasons. All the independent shops in The Old High Street, as well as the improvements to the Harbour area, have brought visitors, tourists and people who also want to live and work here.  

“When I started we programmed a series of networking events, which was a great way to meet our tenants, as well as other creatives in the community, to understand more about their current creative practice, and what their future aspirations are. The wealth of talent we have within the walls of our properties and beyond is truly impressive to behold.”

onward into 2025

“It’s been heartening to see some fantastic, entrepreneurial artist-led initiatives happen in 2024 and continue into 2025, which we’re supporting in different ways, including through the administration of the Roger De Haan Charitable Trust’s Festival Fund. ‘Under The Moon’ is the monthly Art Market at Glassworks where different artists are featured across the year on the last Saturday of each month. 

“Open Art 2024 Festival was new for last year and took the ‘open studio’ idea to beyond the reaches of the Creative Quarter, with over 130 artists taking part. I’m excited to see what takes place in 2025 in the Triennial, under the stewardship of our Curator Sorcha Carey, and also to see what activities are planned for the Folkestone Fringe!”