Folkestone Artworks, The Gallery Without Walls, will be officially launched this weekend. The collection includes works from artist Tracey Emin, which can be viewed free of charge, all year round. What’s On found out more.

A huge steel bell swings on a wire across the seafront and a collection of numbered pebbles lie on the Leas.

They are among the unusual sights which have greeted visitors to Folkestone in recent years, after the Creative Foundation dotted artwork throughout the town to mark its 2008 and 2011 Triennial Festivals.

A total of 16 pieces are still on display, and they have now been officially grouped together as a collection under the title of Folkestone Artworks.

The collection is being launched this weekend, along with a new website, map and audio guide.

To mark the occasion there will be a programme of free guided walks, family activities, children’s tours and workshops.

The collection, which includes Cornelia Parker’s Folkestone Mermaid at Sunny Sands and a series of bronze sculptures by Tracey Emin, is displayed in a range of places across the town and can be enjoyed free of charge, all year round.

It is hoped that Folkestone Artworks will continue to grow after each new Triennial, helping to further develop the town’s reputation as a unique destination for contemporary art.

The Creative Foundation’s Alastair Upton said: “We want to encourage the people to explore, experience and discover this gem of a collection.

“Experiencing this new way of looking at art outside the confines of a gallery encourages different ways of seeing, learning and thinking about contemporary art.

“It’s also fun to explore and to discover places in the town people may not have seen before.”

For information visit www.folkestoneartworks.org.uk.

Free family-friendly launch activities
Saturday, May 4: 11am and 1pm: Folkestone Artworks Guided Tour, starting at the Quarterhouse in Folkestone. Admission is free. To book call 01303 858500; 2pm: Cultural Dog Walk and Dog Party, starting by the Folkestone Mermaid in Sunny Sands. The group will make its way to see Pae White’s Barking Rocks in Pleydell Gardens, where a dog party will be held.

Sunday, May 5: 11am: Folkestone Artworks Guided Tour, starting at the Quarterhouse in Folkestone. Admission is free. To book call 01303 858500; 2pm: Scandalmonger’s children’s tour for under-12s, starting by the Folkestone Mermaid in Sunny Sands. It will be followed by a creative workshop. Admission is free. To book call 01303 858500.

Bank Holiday Monday: 11am: Bike Ride from the Hub in Sandgate to Folkestone harbour, seeing the Folkestone Artworks en route; 2pm: Scandalmonger’s children’s tour for under-12s, starting by the Folkestone Mermaid in Sunny Sands. Admission is free. To book call 01303 858500.