Trade what you're good at for the help you need. Join Folkestone's budding and professional creatives for a stroll through town as we talk skills bartering and connect over drinks.

Why barter

When we (we) think of bartering, we think of yes, a mutually beneficial exchange, but also a middle finger thrust at an economy that doesn't value our skills, resources and time enough. Bartering is an age-old yet sorely needed support system, especially for people early in their career or creative practice.

Say you ink great tattoos and want to open your own shop, but you've no clue on how to take great photos of your work. You could be waiting in line at Lidl next to the photographer who's keen to get a killer tattoo. That's where bartering comes in.

It's for this reason that we're centring the walks around it. After all, collaboration and helping to build a stronger creative community is what the directory is all about.

What to expect

A slow walk, chatting as we go. We reach The Beer Shop, where conversations can really get going over a drink. If you've clicked with someone, offer to swap space, skills, artworks or tools. Trade illustration work for drum lessons, swap website tweaks for homemade sourdough or secure studio space in exchange for teaching someone a new language. What you're willing to barter is up to you.

Expect a crowd of artists, designers, writers, content creators, craftspeople, curators, gardeners, and side-hustlers.

Program

• 5:30pm
  Everyone meets behind Sunny Sands Kiosk, where the steel sculpture is
• 5:45pm
  We set off towards town though the Old High Street
• 6:30pm
  Casual networking at The Beer Shop (please support our venue with a drink purchase)
• 7:30pm
  Event ends

Facilitators

Sangmin, Stephen and Francesco are the collective behind Folks Directory, Folkestone's growing yellow pages for artists and creatives. What links them is a shared backgrounds in making art, facilitating creative work and organising grassroots events.

Sangmin is a curator and project manager with seven years of cross-cultural experience, recently boosting Folkestone's art scene. Sangmin has loads of curly hair.

Francesco is a designer at heart, but you can often find him building bridges across the murky, murky waters of marketing, strategy, and project facilitation.

Stephen is to blame for all the crocodiles, tigers and mini golf experiences you've probably seen or heard about in the last few years. He also teaches art and organises the Canterbury Exposure Open Mic.

Thanks

These events are part of the 2025 edition of Open Art Folke, a summer-and-a-bit-long festival of art and creativity from this gorgeous, little town by the sea. We owe a big thank you for their efforts in making this festival happen.