Last summer, I took part in the Margate Pride Art Trail –  a town-wide celebration of queer artists and LGBTQ+ creativity spread across more than 30 venues. For a few weeks, the town became an open gallery, with art popping up in bars, shops and unexpected corners, all building towards Pride Day itself.

My piece, Beyond Blood, was shown at Bar La –  huge thanks to Iain and Gareth for hosting the work and being such brilliant supporters throughout. The piece is a self-portrait of myself, my husband and our Goldendoodle, Margo, and centres on the idea of chosen family: the people you build your life with through love, care and commitment, rather than biology alone. It’s also about standing together, resilience, and quietly backing each other, day in and day out.

Pride Day felt like the perfect finale to the trail. Margate absolutely showed up. The sun was out, the beach was buzzing, and the whole town felt wrapped in colour, warmth and good energy. There was such a mix of people – locals, visitors, families, artists, allies – all sharing space, celebrating and just enjoying being there together.

What I loved most was how naturally the art trail fed into that day. Seeing queer work woven through the town in the weeks leading up to Pride made everything feel rooted in community, not just a one-day event. Margate has a real knack for that – it’s the people, the openness, the creativity, and yes, the seaside doesn’t hurt either.

I was especially excited to see pieces by some of my favourite local artists featured at the wonderful Pie Factory, including Brogan Bertie, Tara Li-An Nomyo and Abi Birkinshaw. 

Being part of the Margate Pride Art Trail was a real reminder of why these platforms matter. Not just for visibility, but for connection – between artists, venues and communities – and for celebrating queer lives in all their everyday, joyful, resilient forms.