Margate to minneapolis

The collective was conceived late 2019 by a group of Margate-based creatives and activists in response to our shared lived experience of lack of space, engagement and inclusion for Black, Brown & Diaspora communities, members of which make up PDC’s leadership. PDC was then constituted in 2020 as a CiC with two co-Directors; Kelly Abbott and Victoria Barrow-Williams, supported by a network of strategic advisers comprising the wider PDC collective alongside professional and industry contacts and allies.

Our focus is on raising aspirations while elevating and healing those from within our communities and beyond. PDC also has a strong positive focus on supporting white people to become positive allies and support the anti-racist agenda. Ultimately, we seek to facilitate systemic change, by elevating the presence, work and visibility of people from Black, Brown and Diaspora communities.

Our strategic plan set out our current position and outlines a roadmap to securing PDC’s future as a flagship cultural organisation.

Timeline so far

• December 2019
  a group of friends and associates were called together to join a conversation about the Black & Brown community in Margate. People Dem Collective was born.

• June 2020
  People Dem Collective organised 'Margate to Minneapolis' peaceful protest in Margate attended by over 4,000 people in solidarity for the murder of George Floyd and the protests in Minneapolis

• June 2020
  A second peaceful protest was organised across Thanet

• July 2020
  People Dem Collective curated the Margate NOW Festival.

• August 2020
  People Dem Collective curated and installed the 'Margate to Minneapolis'

• August 2020
  People Dem Collective were to host the first Black Pride Margate float. Due to COVID-19 this was postponed to 2021.

• September 2020
  Community fundraising efforts reached £35k to be put towards the operational costs of the People Dem Collective National Cultural Centre.

• December 2020
  People Dem Collective’s National Cultural Centre proposal was submitted to central government as part of the Margate Town Deal funding proposal.