Arts project to highlight local issues for change

A new arts project is inviting people in part of Kent to share their stories and shine a light on the challenges facing their area.

Have Your Say, Folkestone! is the work of the Folkestone Performing Arts Company (FPAC) and it aims to bring together those with experience of food poverty and having to rely on food banks.

The community-led creative storytelling project hopes to "shape powerful performances and engage directly with local decision-makers" in order to "inspire understanding, influence policy and create meaningful change".

Matthew Hahn, FPAC's artistic director said he wanted the production, which is due to launch in January, to "address the issues and make a difference".

He said there was a good reason for using food poverty as the project's central theme.

"I do a lot of work at Sunflower House, which is the community centre here, and that's the topic that comes up whenever I speak to people," said Hahn.

"It's all about good food being expensive and bad food being cheap, and that's an imbalance.

"So what this project seeks to do is use the theatre to tackle problems like this, while the people who can make systemic change are in the audience."

He said he would be inviting local councillors and the MP for Folkestone and Hythe to attend to "see exactly what people are going through".

Hahn explained that he wanted to get as many people as possible, both from the town and across the county, to come along as either as a participant or as an audience member.

He said through interactive participation they would "become part of the conversation and be able to explore potential solutions".

"If you step into other people's shoes and experience what they are going through it'll change your own perspective," he said.

"I really enjoy seeing people, who are quite nervous at first, give performing a go.

"They come away with this huge smile at the end because they finally got to tell their story."

Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, X, and on Instagram and listen to BBC Radio Kent on Sounds. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.