A Guide to the UK Creative Festival

You’ve bought your ticket, (if you haven’t yet, you can buy one here) and stepped off the train into a hopefully sunny Margate. The beach beckons, the sea gleams but what has drawn you to the coast on this unassuming Wednesday or Thursday in July? The UK Creative Festival, of course! 

Whether you’re a first-time attendee to the event, or a loyal guest returning for the festival’s fourth year, knowing your way around Margate and the events going on within Dreamland is key to making the most out of your ticket, and all that the jam-packed two days has to offer. 

So what does your ticket to the UK Creative Festival get you?

If you’re looking for inspiration, it’s the place to be – new for 2024 is the Best of British Creativity exhibition, displaying award winning architecture models and all of the shortlisted work for this year’s Creative Circle Awards which takes place at the culmination of the festival on July 11th. 

If you’re a young person looking for advice, the free-to-attend Creative Careers Fair will have over 150 companies in attendance offering opportunities, knowledge, and insights into how and why to pursue a creative career. Moreover, if you’re looking to discover the next generation of creative talent, look no further – who knows, a future Gold Creative Circle Award winner could be in the room. 

You might have your learning hat on, and want to understand how some of the greatest creatives and marketers made things happen, or why a certain brand decided to advertise a certain way; the UK Creative Festival has six key areas with over 100 representatives from some of the UK’s most recognisable brands, agencies and organisations. Listen and learn as they reveal all in a series of panel discussions. 

And if you’re simply looking for some fun, there are a number of events happening around the town to celebrate creativity and bring the industry together. The Creative Circle Awards is a celebration in itself, and will be followed by a drinks reception sponsored by RSA and COVERT, plus there are a number of parties set to be hosted by various supporting creative companies

All in all, what we’re saying is – to avoid FOMO, get yourself down to Margate.

This year’s agenda focuses on three key themes: 

Culture and Community - How creativity inspires culture. Understanding how creativity will impact every industry, every subject in education, and the wider culture.

Purpose for the Future - How you create campaigns that serve as a platform for good - and why it matters so much now.

Action and Policy - Re-imagining the future of the creative industries. Everything from the future of entertainment, placing creativity at the heart of policy, and using AI to craft an inclusive industry.

You can view the full agenda here

Discussions will happen across six key areas within Dreamland:

The Hall by the Sea is the main venue at the UK Creative Festival, offering a raised stage for guests to speak on, watched by a plentiful seating area. You can expect to see the likes of Rory Sutherland, vice chairman of Ogilvy, Tom Skinner, ECD at TikTok and Joel Midgeley, head of marketing at The Guardian, on the stage here, amongst many more. 

You can find The Hall by the Sea by going up the stairs or in the lift that is opposite the entrance to the arcade (where the Careers Fair is held). 

The Ballroom will see creative leaders gather to share insights and knowledge from their respective areas of expertise through interactive talks and panel discussions. You can find The Ballroom on the right hand side as you enter Dreamland from the seafront. 

The Wellness Stage will play home to a host of activities such as yoga, sound baths and a serendipity workshop, the schedule is dedicated to your well-being and nurturing your soul. 

The Classroom will host a full schedule of interactive and hands-on workshops for attendees to get involved with. 

The Dodgems Stage is located by, you guessed it, the dodgems. Pop along for bite-sized panel discussions that bridge the gap between education and industry

Beach Huts are four smaller, intimate spaces for hands-on discovery and conversation. You can find these behind the giant ‘DREAMLAND’ letters in the centre of the park. 

For more information about the agenda for Wednesday 10th and Thursday 11th, click here. You can find out more about the speakers and brands giving talks here. 

Improving access to, and representation within, the creative industries is a key goal of the UK Creative Festival. As such, the free-to-attend Creative Careers Fair was set up as a free-to-access hub for aspiring young creatives to learn from and interact with leading companies within the industry. Growing year on year, over 1000 young people attended in 2023 alone. This year, in addition to networking opportunities, there will be a number of interactive workshops and Q&A sessions. 

You can find out more about the Creative Careers Fair here.

Now in its 79th year, the Creative Circle Awards marks the finale of the UK Creative Festival. Hosted in Dreamland, the evening is a night of celebration, merriment and networking, as the creative community comes together to celebrate the best work, talent and companies of the previous year. Held on Dreamland’s Scenic Stage, guests can enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and picnic table setting as the winners of Bronze, Silver, Gold and the coveted Gold of Gold awards are revealed. 

The evening is followed by an after party for all ticket holders held at Cinque Ports, generously sponsored by RSA Films and COVERT. 

You can take a look at the Creative Circle shortlist here.

New for 2024, The Best of British Exhibition will be hosted at the UK Creative Festival, showcasing the shortlisted work from the Creative Circle Awards, in addition to displaying pieces of work from a number of creative disciplines including fashion, architecture and art amongst others. 

The exhibition aims to inspire attendees by presenting the best of British creative achievement across various disciplines.