Folkestone Triennial: Prestigious art festival to return in 2025

A prestigious outdoor contemporary art festival will return in 2025 after being delayed for a year.

The sixth edition of the internationally-renowned Folkestone Triennial will take place in late summer for about three months.

The event has usually taken place every three years since 2008, but it was also delayed for a year in 2020 due to the Covid pandemic.

Next year's event was delayed after local officials secured £20m funding.

The levelling-up cash will be used to provide better infrastructure for the festival.

Sorcha Carey, exhibition curator, said she wanted to ensure "art and creative thinking sit at the heart of this next chapter in Folkestone's evolution".

Organisers say the exhibition has brought in £100m to the local area.

Previous editions have included new works by Tracey Emin, Mark Wallinger and Yoko Ono.

In 2014 a Banksy mural appeared on a park wall during the festival.

The most recent Folkestone Triennial, in 2021, welcomed more than 220,000 visitors, according to its organisers.

Alastair Upton, chief executive of Creative Folkestone, said: "Folkestone Triennial is not just an art exhibition, it is a catalyst for economic and cultural growth.

"The influx of visitors from the local area and much further afield puts Folkestone on the map, shining a spotlight on the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit that makes our town a great place to live, work, play and visit."

Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk.