Yoko Ono has provided a first greeting for people arriving for the Folkestone Triennial, which was officially launched at the weekend.

Those stepping out of Folkestone Central station are met with a poster with giant lettering saying “Earth Peace.”

The stark artwork is in the same style of the campaign posters the Japanese artist and her late husband, Beatle John Lennon, put up in 1969 with the words: “War is Over! (If you want it).”

At the time the couple were campaigning against the Vietnam War but Triennial curator Lewis Biggs said: “She has actually been campaigning for peace since 1945 with the firebombing of Tokyo (during the Second World War) and the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. She continued when she met John Lennon.”

The Earth Peace message is also in the form of a flag on top of The Grand on The Leas.

The poster was the first item shown during the Thursday's press preview of the third Folkestone Triennial, which starts in full today and continues until November 2.

Mr Biggs also revealed that New York-based Ono, 81, intents to be at the Triennial on late September or early October and visit the town’s newly-launched First World War memorial arch. He said: “She would like to visit the new memorial arch to pay her respects."

Ono also has a new “instruction” which is now displayed in the Quarterhouse.

It is high on the wall of the bar, titled 'Sklyladder' and says: “Audience should bring a ladder they like. Colour it. Word it. Take pictures of it. Keep adding things to it. And send it as a postcard to a friend.”

A total of 21 artworks and events are being held for the Triennial, which launched on Saturday (30) and continues until November 2.

The last-announced event was a gold rush on a Folkestone beach, which began on Thursday.

Berlin-based artist Michael Sailstorfer buried 30 small pieces of gold under the sands at the Outer Harbour, which members of the public could dig out during low tide and keep.

The nuggets, valued at £250 to £500, were buried at varying depths but washers were also placed there to stop people with metal detectors having an unfair advantage.

Other artworks included statues by Strange Cargo on the theme of luck, luminous poles at the town’s former gasworks and water towers to acknowledge provision of water to the town from the Pent Stream.