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About us

Welcome to Gulbenkian.

We are the University of Kent’s Arts Centre and have been at the heart of creativity in Canterbury for over 50 years, offering innovative, engaging and high quality arts activity for the public, staff and students.

 

From the most committed fans of the arts, to friends enjoying a night out together, or families sharing live theatre for the first time, we welcome everyone.

At Gulbenkian you will discover some of UK’s most innovative and exciting performers, as well as established big names in theatre, dance, music and comedy, and an excellent family programme, including our annual family festival – bOing!

Supported by Arts Council England, we are a catalyst in developing and curating ideas, spaces and emerging talent. The empowerment of children and young people is at the core of our activity, through our popular Youth Theatre and ground breaking ART31 programme.

In addition to our own programme of events, we provide a stage for local school, student and community groups, who use our theatre, concert hall and cinema to showcase their own talents and bring their own audiences together.

We invite you to be part of the Gulbenkian community. Come to one of the hundreds of events and film screenings we offer every year, get a great coffee in our Café or just enjoy our building and the beautiful University of Kent campus that is our home.

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"Altogether, the venue lives and breathes its mission."
Arts Council England Artistic and Quality Assessment 2016

Also from the Gulbenkian

What we do - outside projection

What we do

We believe passionately in the creative empowerment of children and young people, and this belief drives everything we do.

BOING

Support us

We need your help! If you can donate, volunteer, or just tell everyone you know about us we would love your support.

ART31

ART31 takes its name from Article 31 of the UN Convention on the Rights of a Child, which states that ‘Children have the right to relax and play, and to join in a wide range of cultural, artistic and other recreational activities’.

ART31 is a vision created with, by, and for young people in Kent, championing the belief that all children and young people have an entitlement to access high quality arts and culture, to empower them to achieve their creative potential, and to genuinely engage young people as equal partners in any decision making that affects them.

The ART31 Youth Board is made up of young people from across Kent aged 13-25 who steer its governance, and influence policy and practice across the county and beyond, challenging the creative sector to examine existing ways of working and integrate young people into the core of their practice.

Our projects with young people

GENFest Young people posing in a cardboard Instagram frame

ART31 Generate

Providing workshops, support, and performance opportunities, Generate is where creativity gives voice to young perspectives whether in theatre making, film media, music, visual arts and more!

Youth Theatre
Live Streaming film equipment.

SCREEN31

Screen31 is a group for young people aged 15-25 interested in developing their film-making skills.
TECH31

TECH31

Set over two days TECH31 is a free workshop designed to provide 13-25 year olds with an opportunity to develop their skills in sound, lighting, stage management and much more. 

National Theatre Connections – Gulbenkian Young Company

NT Connections is the National Theatre’s nationwide youth theatre festival. Each year it offers a unique opportunity for youth theatres and school theatre groups to stage new plays written for young people by some of theatre’s most exciting playwrights, and to perform in leading theatres across the UK.
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Gulbenkian Uncovered

Are you enthusiastic, committed and creative? Gulbenkian Uncovered gives University of Kent students the chance to programme films and run events.

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Square Pegs Arts

Square Pegs Arts are an award winning charity who provide drama groups, music projects and other accessible Arts opportunities for children and young adults who have learning disabilities and autism, and produce original, inspiring, challenging Theatre. Difference is celebrated and everyone is supported to shine in their own way.
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KRAN Fam

KRAN Fam is a drama group in partnership with Kent Refugee Action Network for young refugees and asylum-seekers.

Accessible Film Club

Relaxed Screenings

Monthly film screenings that are open to all, especially those with autism and learning disabilities.

Young People - Screen31 ARTY31

ARTY31

Gulbenkian’s ARTY31 group is for young people aged 8-12 with a wide variety of arts interests.

Film tickets

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