Folkestone’s unofficial guide to what’s going on.
Venue
kollectiv, 69 The Old High Street, Folkestone
Arts centre with exhibitions and events.
kollectiv Folkestone, 69 The Old High St, Folkestone, CT20 1NR
Weekly writing workshop at kollectiv Folkestone for new and returning writers. The group is small, friendly and welcoming, with space for all voices. New writers are welcome each week. Tickets are £5.
69 The Old High St / Folkestone / CT20 1NR
Monthly graphic novel book club at kollectiv Folkestone with discussion, optional doodling, and a hot or cold drink. Curated by local illustrators and comics writers Navied Mahdavian and Ben Gore. Upcoming sessions are: 13 August on Making Comics by Lynda Barry; 17 September on Acting Class by Nick Drnaso; 15 October on Bad Gateway by Simon Hanselmann; 19 November on Red Son by Mark Millar; 17 December on Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant? / Talking to My Father’s Ghost by Roz Chast and Alex Krokus; 14 January on Black Hole by Charles Burns; 18 February on Diary of a Teenage Girl by Phoebe Gloeckner; and 18 March on Watchmen by Alan Moore. Entry is £5. Ages 13+. Books are available from Lighthouse Comics with a 20% discount.
69 The Old High St / Folkestone / CT20 1NR
A free weekly craft group at Kollectiv for knitting, crochet and other yarn-based projects. Beginners and experienced crafters are welcome, and the session is described as inclusive for all ages, backgrounds and abilities. Bring your own project or come to learn, share tips and patterns, and spend a relaxed couple of hours crafting and chatting. Drinks and pastries are available to buy from the bar.
69 The Old High St, Folkestone, CT20 1NR
A free weekly Scrabble meet-up at kollectiv for players of all experience levels. Drop in for a friendly, chatty session, meet new people, and play from 10:00 to 13:00. Coffee and cake are available from the bar.
kollectiv, 69 The Old High Street, Folkestone
A Folkestone Illustration Festival session with graphic novelist and animator Norm Konyu. He will discuss the comics industry, including self-publishing, crowdfunding, social media, networking and commercial publishing, and share advice on developing your own voice in both story and visuals. Tickets are £10.
kollectiv, 69 The Old High Street, Folkestone
Advice and networking event as part of Folkestone Illustration Festival. Attendees can speak one-to-one with illustration professionals for guidance on areas including animation, commercial illustration, murals, freelance printmaking, scribing, and directing/producing, then stay on to meet other local creatives. Tickets are £3.
kollectiv, 69 The Old High Street, Folkestone
A discussion session at Folkestone Illustration Festival with Potato Printer, Scribeyak Tom and Jen the Illustrator. The panel will talk about the tougher sides of working in illustration, including low rates, demanding clients and concerns about AI, with audience questions and topics invited. Tickets are £7.
kollectiv, 69 The Old High Street, Folkestone
Illustrator and author Aaron Blecha leads a Halloween-themed drawing workshop for children at Folkestone Illustration Festival. Participants will learn how to create their own monster characters. Tickets are £10. Suitable for ages 7 to 12, and children under 12 must be supervised, though only the child needs a booked place.
kollectiv, 69 The Old High Street, Folkestone
At Folkestone Illustration Festival, Scriberia co-founder Dan Porter discusses more than a decade of making creative work commercially viable. He’ll draw on the studio’s infographics, animation, illustration, murals and live drawing for clients including the NHS, BBC and Oxfam. Tickets are £8.50; book through the festival’s link in bio.
kollectiv, 69 The Old High Street, Folkestone
Animator Esther Ajibade discusses building a career in animation, drawing on 15 years of experience that includes work with Universal Studios and Netflix and creating her film “Swipe Right”. Part of Folkestone Illustration Festival. Tickets are £10; book via the festival’s link in bio.
kollectiv, 69 The Old High Street, Folkestone
Illustrator Sheena Dempsey and agent Sallyanne Sweeney join festival organiser Jen to discuss the origins of the Pablo & Splash graphic novels, publishing with Bloomsbury, and bringing history and humour into the stories. Part of Folkestone Illustration Festival. Tickets are £15.
kollectiv, 69 The Old High Street, Folkestone
Signwriter Charlotte Wright of Joe & Charlotte leads a hands-on introduction to traditional signwriting at kollectiv as part of Folkestone Illustration Festival. Participants will practise the techniques and take home their practice sheets, brush and a recap booklet. Tickets are £25; book via the festival’s link in bio.
kollectiv, 69 The Old High Street, Folkestone
Folkestone Illustration Festival presents a Halloween drawing showdown between local illustrators Scribyaktom and Jen the Illustrator, alongside obscure cartoon trivia and a roast from comedian Dyke Skinner. Audience participation and fancy dress are encouraged. Tickets are £10 via folkestoneillustrationfestival.com. Advertised hours are 7–11pm, though the poster says “till late.”
kollectiv, 69 The Old High Street, Folkestone
A showcase event following the Folkestone’s a Drag beginner workshop series hosted by Hugh Mann.
kollectiv, 69 The Old High Street, Folkestone
A free evening interview at kollectiv with Goran from House of Afsana in conversation with the curator and artists behind the exhibition 'well out of CONtext'. The discussion will explore experimental writing, wordless writing, conceptual art processes and creative letting go. Doors open at 19:00 and the event starts at 19:30.