Canterbury spouts nonsense, Herne Bay fountain of wisdom. Nobody surprised.

#FUCCC Our Council's Culture & Enterprise bureaucrats seem to think they know what Guardian readers are interested in (how?), but I put it to you, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, that Guardian journalists have a much clearer picture of what interests their readers.

In fact, they've already said that they'll be coming to Herne Bay to cover this summer's marvellous Duchamp Centenary celebrations... FOR THEIR READERS.​

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Arts festival will bring Guardian journalists to Herne Bay

Guardian readers may not be tempted by the town but the paper's reporters will be heading to Herne Bay this summer.

Staff from the art and travel section of the national newspaper are planning to cover the three-week festival dedicated to artist Marcel Duchamp and his links with the town, amid a storm over an advert that praised Whitstable and Canterbury but left out Herne Bay.

Tourism chiefs, who paid up to £10,000 for the full-page feature in the Guardian's travel section, say they were concentrating on the brands most likely to attract Guardian readers. But at a meeting organised by the team behind the August festival, they revealed the paper's journalists were looking forward to their visit.

The festival marks 100 years since Duchamp spent a month in Herne Bay, a period believed to be critical to his career. Volunteer Sue Austen, from Bayguide, which is behind the festival, said it could be a boost to the whole town. Southeastern trains have agreed to display posters on board. She said:

"It will hopefully encourage people to Herne Bay who have not been before. It will be covered by the Guardian arts section and Guardian travel section and is already listed in Coast magazine as one of the top things to do this summer."

Sue revealed both Kent County Council and Visit Kent had readily offered support, but said "conversations were ongoing" with Canterbury City Council, who have so far offered to waive the rent on the Kings Hall for a one-day conference to discuss the artist's work.

Steve Coombes, who stood in the KCC elections to raise awareness of the festival, added:

"Charlotte Higgins is the chief arts writer of the Guardian and we have been in enthusiastic communication about the Marcel Duchamp Centenary, by email and phone, since last October. The same is also true of the Times, Telegraph and BBC arts. Unlike the CCC dept of Culture and Enterprise, they were all thrilled by the idea."

Members of the Cartoonists' Club of Great Britain are also planning to take part, after Ralph Steadman created a one-off design for a promotional poster. They will create cartoons for toilets, pubs and other places and there will also be quotes from Duchamp in unusual places around the town and themed window displays from shops.

David Cross, who will be curating the gallery shows, said:

"We would like to make it successful to show them that Herne Bay can be - and has got to be - equal to Whitstable and Canterbury."

Other events planned include an open exhibition at Beach House from July 11 and introducing Mr D at Herne Bay Museum from July 16. Invited artists will show their work at galleries around the town from July 23 and there will also be an art bike trail.

Children can take part in workshops and add their own designs to postcards for a pop-up gallery, and live music, street theatre and chess games are also planned.

Jason Hollingsworth, from Bayguide, said:

"There is a huge cultural legacy to this. There will be a trail and a plaque on the house where he stayed in Downs Park."

For more information on the festival, or to get involved as a volunteer, visit www.iamnotdead.co.uk

Canterbury Times 24th May 2013

Plans to celebrate artist Duchamp

Marcel Duchamp

Artist Marcel Duchamp wrote "I am not dead, I am staying in Herne Bay" during a visit to the town 100 years ago this year.

To mark the centenary, Sue Austen and Jason Hollingsworth, who run Bayguide.co.uk, are planning a three-week, town-wide celebration. It would feature exhibitions, a film festival and history walks and the pair are hoping people will get in touch to lend items they could use. Mr Hollingsworth said:

"We want to see this event marked in a variety of different ways. The town's reputation as an artistic centre is growing, along with that of the whole north Kent coast, and as part of this movement a Duchamp celebration would be a fantastic way to promote our vibrant town, during its busiest summer months. We think this will not only attract local attention but also draw visitors from the rest of Kent, London and the South East as well as giving our town great positive publicity to rival that of our neighbours."

They are appealing for articles, memorabilia, images and especially postcards sent from Herne Bay and post-marked 1913 to borrow for the festival. Artists are also invited to get involved by submitting a piece to an exhibition called "I am not dead, I am in Herne Bay".

Duchamp was in Herne Bay for August and part of September 1913 while his sister Yvonne studied English at Lynton College in Downs Park. That year is said to be a turning point in his work.

For more information about the planned Duchamp celebration, visit www.iamnotdead.co.uk or e-mail jason@bayguide.co.uk

HB Times 4th Jan 2013