Future Foundry is a social enterprise to help young people establish or grow sustainable businesses and events. Future Foundry projects bring young people together within their communities – creating connections and highlighting pathways to success. They promote the creative industries and encourage other people to be inspired by and make a local impact. Young people can access training, resources & cultural events throughout the year. Creative people forging futures.
Future Foundry establish first steps and progression routes into the creative industries for all young people. We aim to tackle barriers facing marginalised young people engaging in the arts and creative industries; to generate a more sustainable, diverse and representative creative community and creative industries workforce. Through building lives and careers that fulfil them and earning a living doing something they love; young people are empowered to affect positive change in the world and the places they live.
Future Foundry has taken on many projects that aim to build on the creative and cultural industries for young people, particularly less advantaged and marginalised young people. Some of the projects include the Walk with Amal (WWA) October 2021, Dover PrintFest, Dover Pride, Waking the Giant 2022, & Ceramic Art Dover activities. All of these projects and groups also provide free access to professional training, introductions to entrepreneurship, social enterprise, market trading, start-up & support with freelancing.
Dover Town Council and Future Foundry are sad to announce that Dover’s Winter Light Up will be postponed due to Storm Darragh forecast to reach Dover the weekend planned for this event. All festivities, activities and the lantern procession which were to be taking place on Saturday 7th of December are on hold until February 8th 2025.
We have been very lucky over the past 4 years to have had perfect conditions for Dover’s Winter Light Up. However with 60mph gusts predicted on Saturday 7th Dec, it will not be possible to run the event safely.
The great news is that Dover’s Winter Light Up has been rescheduled for Saturday the 8th of February. It will be a festival of light when we need it most – at the end of winter just before the first signs of spring. We will be offering all the enchanting activities we had planned for this weekend, with circus performances, cabaret, music, rides, markets, workshops and Future Foundry’s magical lantern procession – all just in time for the start of spring.
In the meantime stay safe during Storm Darragh and we wish you a wonderful festive, winter season.
The Forge is Future Foundry’s free weekly art club for all 11-16 year olds. No experience is necessary to come along, it’s super friendly, and all materials are provided. You can try out whatever you like at the Forge, including: drawing, zine making, fashion design, upcycling, ceramics, anime, print design, lino printing, tie dye, film making, painting, graphics, street art, pet portraits, card making, scrap sculpture, jewellery making, photography, illustration, badge making, plus more. At The Forge, you’ll have the chance to join group trips exploring arts and culture in Dover and the wider Kent area, along with opportunities to create, prepare, and sell your work at real-life markets!
If you have any questions, just email office@futurefoundry.org.uk. @Biggin Hall, CT16 1BD, 12-3, every Saturday.
The next Future Foundry Film Club will be held on Thursday 10th October from 5.30pm-7pm at Biggin Hall (Biggin St, Dover, CT161BD). Future Foundry Film Club is a free club for 11-19 year olds, where we watch films, talk about films, and learn to make films. It’s open to all young people in the Dover area and no experience is necessary.
Come and be part of it. We would love to see you there!
Email office@futurefoundry.org.uk with any queries or questions, or DM us on social media.
The New Creators is a free, creative, after school club for young adults in the Dover area aged 14-19. This is a club for young people to have a go at lots of different types of art and develop creative projects as part of a team. Led by the amazing arts practitioner Nova Marshall and the Future Foundry artist team, activities have included designing a mural for Dover Train Station, learning about photography, hands-on fashion + design projects, creating an animation for a film night, and exclusive trips! New Creators aims to improve the local environment, whilst encouraging leadership and visibility for young people. No skills or experience needed.
Email office@futurefoundry.org.uk with any queries or questions, or DM us on social media.
We were excited to partner with Good Chance Theatre to create one of the 46 Fly With Me events across the UK and Europe. With the aim of celebrating the ancient Afghan craft of kite-making, flying kites as a symbol of freedom and solidarity and raising awareness of the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, one year on since the fall of Kabul.
Closing The Loop will offer an introduction into all things Circular; it will explore sustainability, entrepreneurship, design methodology and creative enterprise. We aim to help develop businesses that promote the circular economy in creative ways – which could be through a new product or service, through upcycling, recycling, by creating events or plays or even installations or artworks!
We were excited to welcome Little Amal with our Dover communities in October as one of the 80 welcome events! Little Amal is walking from the Turkey Syria border to Manchester between July – November 2021. #thewalk is a travelling festival of art in support of refugee’s bringing together cultural organisations, community groups and humanitarian organisations across Europe. Check out #thewalk’s full events programme. More info can be found at walkwithamal.org
A day of activity at Ladywell included incredible @ceramicartdover Raku Firing demonstrations and a music programme created by @doverpride and @frazerdoyleceramics that was just fabulous. The finale line up was hosted by @miss_lilli_berlin and included debut performances by Dover’s first AFAB Drag Queen @itsemmapanda Drag King @gavin_alarrf. Thanks to @doverdc, @dovertowncouncil @destinationdover and @acegrams for supporting the event.
Young Creative Producers
Young Creative Producers
Environmental & Ethical Business
