The Horsebridge Arts Centre

The Horsebridge Arts and Community Center has been running for almost 20 years. Originally it was supported by mainly grants, but its almost fully funded by the artists hiring the gallery spaces and the locals, plus the transient holiday makers. The Horsebridge is well worth a visit as it has many excellent art exhibitions as there is a plethora of talented creatives wanting to show off their talents. With a mixture of traditional and contemporary there is something for everyone. The center also supports workshops, classes and film showings. Check the Horsebridge out the next time you are in Whitstable....you won't be disappointed.

Community Arts Centre providing a hub for local artists. The centre has both a large and small gallery space on the ground floor, a small shop tucked away to the left of the reception desk and the stairs. Upstairs there is a cafe, meeting rooms and a large space used as a cinema!

lovely art and a lovely gift shop it's also free entry so why not go :)

I had a yoga and sound bath morning here. Clean, warm and friendly.

I took a knitting course here led by Joyce and it was one of the most wonderful experiences I’ve had in a long time. The center is so hospitable and has built an amazing community for everyone to enjoy. I wish there was a horsebridge arts center in every town and I felt so lucky to be a part of it while here on holiday.

We watched it being built and over the years it's been quite an attraction. It's on the old Vounteer Bureau site. I'm not sure I particularly like the rather contrived up-turned-boat roof but I know other people do. I'm not sure if they still have the cafe upstairs as it never did a particularly good trade being out of the way. They have regular art displays and these are at best mundane affairs. Local artists with more enthusiasm than skill. Let's be frank some of them have no skill at all and it's all a bit embarrassing. Still, I suppose it's harmless enough and keeps them busy. I've noticed some of the staff on reception have become rather truculent lately. Not all of them, but some appear to consider it part of their duties to rudely demand a donation to the charity running the place. It's remarkable - give someone a desk and a computer and their childish need to express authority soon takes over. These staff have a decidedly adversarial manner and seem to see themselves as standing guard which is all very unfortunate for a charitable body.

Despite being a known local arts centre somehow we never visited until now for a toddlers event. It's clearly an asset to have such a facility and periodically it seems the centre is used effectively in the organisation of a range of community arts activities, which is great. That said, perhaps of this being in Whitstable, I was expecting a more obviously swanky and impressive venue, perhaps like the Quarter House in Folkestone, instead of an arts centre housed in a building and with facilities that feel functional rather than enticing in a government building sort of way. Nonetheless, the room for the toddler event was perfectly adequate and there seemed to be the capacity to host a range of activities. The downstairs exhibition hall looks perfectly adequate.

Cafe much improved with new owners. Quite expensive though. £5.30 for a pot of tea and a (delicious) brownie. Music from vinyl records on turntables. Games for children. Nice ambience. Exhibition not open when I visited.