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A three-year programme of creative field trips and professional collaborations will give young people a chance to shape a new garden city.
The Future Ebbsfleet project will see artists play an active role in designing Ebbsfleet Garden City .
Arts organisation Cement Fields, working in partnership with Ebbsfleet Development Corporation, has been awarded National Lottery public funding through Arts Council England to get the project going.
The plans for Ebbsfleet include up to 15,000 homes , 30,000 jobs , nine schools , and seven city-scale parks, set to be completed by 2035.
The arts programme aims to look at how radical, youth and art-led creativity can have an impact on public spaces to make them the heart of the community.
South East area director for Arts Council England Hedley Swain said: "It will put public art at the centre of the Ebbsfleet Garden City development and allow young people to add their creative vision, not just for themselves, but also for subsequent generations."
Working with artists and a wide range of partners, young people aged 16-25 will co-lead the programme, exploring and shaping the city as it is built.
Together they will research what has worked locally, nationally and internationally, and will consider ideas with partners including architects, designers, philosophers and policy makers.
Ebbsfleet Development Corporation head of strategy and placemaking Kevin McGeough said: "We are excited to partner with Cement Fields on this innovative new programme, to genuinely embed young people and artists in shaping Ebbsfleet Garden City, empowering new and existing young residents to take a leadership role in shaping their future place with a focus on arts and culture development, to ensure they develop a sense of ownership of their community."
More details on the Future Ebbsfleet programme and how to get involved will be announced soon.
