From Displacement to Empowerment: Support People Dem Collective
For four years, People Dem Collective (PDC) has been a lifeline for Black, Brown, and diaspora communities in Margate. Our HQ at Marine Terrace has become more than a building—it’s a safe space and creative seedbed where ideas flourish, communities thrive, and futures are built. Our ambition to develop a cultural centre was once supported by Thanet District Council and leveraged to gain government funds for Margate. But now, four years after the bid was successful, commitments to us were dropped and we are being evicted from our space. We urgently need your help to continue our vital work.
Who We Are
PDC is a Black and Brown-led organisation that was established in Margate in 2020, following the murder of George Floyd. Founded by members of the Black, Brown and Diaspora communities, the collective was born out of a lived experience of lack of space, engagement and inclusion for these communities and a desire to encourage healing and transformation
PDC has worked tirelessly to foster inclusion, opportunity, and creativity in Margate. Without any core funding, or a secure space from which to operate, we have created possibilities for artists to nurture their work, secure commissions and funding that expanded their reach, and we’ve helped others start their own projects in fields of sport, fitness and wellness, community, heritage and music. We provided a safe space to explore and develop, where our community has truly connected. People have come together for workshops, talks, food sharing, children’s activities, art classes, music practice, wellness activities, community organising and shared moments over ginger tea. We’ve sought to create a space where Black, Brown and Diaspora people feel safe, seen, and valued and community and creativity is nurtured.
These are some of our achievements so far:
What Happened and Why We Need Your Help
Our cultural centre was part of the Margate Town Deal—a £22 million government fund that was meant to regenerate Margate. Despite Thanet Council’s leveraging of our plan for a cultural centre in order to gain the funds, and their promises to support us in test running a temporary version of it in a refurbished ‘meanwhile space’, the assistance that materialised was limited to being granted a desk and community space in a disused building which we could use as our organisational HQ but not develop as the proposed cultural centre. Despite this disparity, we made the most of that space to nurture, empower and elevate our community. After four years we have now been informed that our meanwhile space for the cultural centre is not coming and that we are being evicted from the office/community space we were permitted to work in while we waited for it. We now risk losing everything we’ve built. With your help, we can secure a new space, resource ourselves through this difficult transitional phase and develop a new plan to create the future we have been working for.
How We’ll Use Your Support
In 2020, we launched a successful Crowdfunder campaign link HERE that marked a pivotal moment in our journey. We are deeply grateful for the support we received during that time, which enabled us to lay the foundation for what People Dem Collective has become today. The funds raised allowed us to hire expertise to support the administrative setup of our organisation, establish key policies, and create the infrastructure we needed to engage with the Margate Town Deal.
This early investment in our work was transformative. It allowed us to develop as an organisation and pursue a vision that centred on creating a permanent cultural centre for Margate’s Black, Brown, and Diaspora communities. While we’ve made significant strides, we’ve also faced challenges. Despite not having core funding, we’ve worked tirelessly to keep our HQ open, sustaining operations through commissions and project-specific grants. However, the lack of long-term funding has left us in a precarious position, particularly now that the promised building and associated funding from the Town Deal will no longer materialise.
This situation has forced us to pivot and rethink our strategy. We’ve been waiting for years for the 'meanwhile space' and the funding it was meant to unlock, which would have stabilised our operations and positioned us to access further funding streams. Instead, we’ve found ourselves stretched thin, operating in a way that has not been sustainable.
That’s why we’re asking for your support now. This Crowdfunder is about stabilising People Dem Collective during this critical transition. It will allow us to:
- Secure temporary space and cover the associated costs.
- Take the next steps in rethinking and redeveloping our strategic plan to move forward without the building we were promised.
- Ensure that we continue to provide opportunities, resources, and creative programming for Margate’s Black, Brown, and Diaspora communities.
This is not just about survival; it’s about ensuring that everything we’ve built so far is not lost. Your support will help us navigate this pivotal moment, regroup, and continue the vital work we do for our community.
The Bigger Picture
This isn’t just about us—it’s about addressing a national issue. Across the UK, Black-led organisations are being used to secure funding but are then sidelined when resources are distributed. This campaign is a stand against cultural leveraging and systemic inequities.
What People Are Saying
“PDC is place where, strangers become friends and friends become family members” Tamara, community member
“We all came for different reasons and met up to feel part of the community as people of colour within the Thanet family which helped build our self confidence and esteem.” Jane, community member
“PDC has been literally life changing for me. It birthed me as an artist, and has given me a kind of a community, connection, and sense of belonging, i didn’t imagine possible.” Jas, resident artist
"People Dem Collective exemplifies a community arts organization operating at the highest level. Run by artists and intellectuals, they are both visionary and impactful. Using them as a political pawn only to abandon them when the pressure subsides reflects the historical exploitation of Black people during slavery and colonialism. I fully support People Dem Collective and their efforts to uplift Black communities in the Thanet area" Roger Robinson
"People Dem Collective exemplifies grassroots activism at its most powerful. In the wake of George Floyd's murder, when systemic racism's deadly toll was laid bare, they mobilised to protect and uplift marginalized communities. Through art and cultural expression, they fostered healing, joy and hope - achievements that authorities leveraged to secure funding. Yet today, those promised resources have failed to materialise in support of their vital mission. This failure indicts not People Dem Collective, but the very systems they fight to transform. Their work is more critical than ever. I stand firmly with them in demanding accountability and the fulfilment of commitments mad" - Lisa Anderson