stride – turner schools triennial film

The Creative Folkestone Triennial is upon us for the next three months.  Alongside the main artworks are works from local artists including 3000 school students.  The Turner Schools Family has 8 schools as part of the Trust, and over 3000 students and teachers based in Folkestone, working with Toby Melville-Brown, have created an animated film that will be shown at Folkestone Harbour from 17th July 2025.  Folkelife met with Cross Trust Director of Creative Arts Michelle Foxwood to find out about the project.

“We were thinking about a project that could include the largest number of students and staff as possible and be a part of the Creative Folkestone Triennial.  Toby Melville-Brown has been working with us and our Scholarship Students, and he suggested doing an animation.

“We came up with this idea of a walk cycle, where staff and students embellish the image of a man walking.  There are eight parts to the walk cycle.  We have been able to get every member of staff and students from nursery right up to 6th Form to decorate their own still.  These have then be scanned in.  Every single image you see is unique and individual to the person who has created it.”

6 minutes running time

“The film runs for about 6 minutes with music created by one of our pupils in Year 10 at the Folkestone Academy.  It’s not a film with a beginning, middle and end, it’s an art piece of someone walking with each stride being different.

“We spoke to Folkestone Harbour about showing the film on the Big Screen and they’ve agreed to our premiere on 17th July at 5pm in The Goods Yard. They will also show Stride on the screen across the summer holidays. 

The Premiere is our community event where all staff, pupils and families can come along and see the work for the first time.  It’s an opportunity for us to be together as a community but outside of the school environment.  There will be live music from pupils at the school.  Performing and celebrating at Folkestone Harbour means we can break out of the school institutional environment and be a part of our local community.” 

toby melville-brown

“Toby is an illustrator and workshop organiser and does a lot of work with us and our Scholarship programme.  At the Folkestone Academy 30 students apply at the beginning of Year 7 to be part of our Arts Scholarship Programme.  These children then work together each year until Year 9 meeting weekly.  They go on school trips in the UK and abroad, and take part in workshops across the academic year. 

“The programme has been running for 4 years now, and all our original 30 have chosen art, design, music and/or drama as a GCSE subject to study. The Scholarship Programme is fully funded by the school.  We try to make it as varied as possible, from arts, to music and drama, to dance.”  

folkestone fringe

“The Folkestone Fringe have chosen our film Stride to be one of three flagship projects for this year’s Triennial. After being shown at the Harbour, from September we’re hoping that Stride will be shown before every film at the Silver Screen. 

“We’re waiting to hear from Arts Council England as to whether we can show this as a walking projection that goes through town.  But we have to wait until the end of July for news on that.”

folkestone academy and the triennial

“This is the first year we’ve actually been a part of the Triennial.  In previous years, we’ve done a Trust-wide creative arts exhibition based at one of our schools, but we really wanted to leave the school environment and come out to the community.  The first day this film is shown is 17th July, and will run throughout the summer and into the autumn. It will have different guises at different times.  This is the most involvement we’ve ever had with the Creative Folkestone Triennial. 

“This really is an opportunity to connect local people and those  from disadvantaged backgrounds with the arts community.  So many of the Triennial artists are national and international, and this is really and truly local.”

the arts mark

“The Folkestone Academy has just been awarded its Arts Mark through our Scholarship Programme.  Our students are working towards Bronze and Silver awards as part of their participation and work in years 7 to 9.  We’re also working out programmes that older students can do to gain a Gold award by the time they’re in 6th Form.  

“We are also working on employment opportunities too.  We have a student that’s gone on to UCA but is a part-time technician with us.  Another ex-student is a technician too but has decided to do teacher training with us.  There are students who are really interested and engaged.  They can stay involved with the school with part-time work around their university courses.

“What would be amazing to see is our students creating their own work as part of future Triennials.  It’s such an opportunity for our students to be involved in the Creative Folkestone Triennial.”