The Festival of Optimism is a new three-day festival and conference.

Celebrating the people, places and practical ideas that give us hope for the future.

Through inspiring talks, practical workshops, exhibitions and hands-on local experiences, we're bringing together residents, organisers, creatives, social innovators, businesses, funders and policymakers to explore how we can build fairer, greener and more hopeful communities.

Across the three days, the Festival moves from inspiration to action to experience:

• Day 1: Ideas and Inspiration (Margate) showcases innovative ideas and practical examples through inspiring speakers, thematic sessions and participant-led conversations.

• Day 2: Insights into action (Ramsgate) helps people develop their own ideas further, overcome challenges and devise practical next steps for taking action.
• Day 3: Get involved takes the Festival out our communities through local tours, hands-on activities, creative and wellbeing experiences, before finishing with a shared celebration.

A delicious vegan and gluten free lunch is included in your ticket on Day 1 and Day 2.

HEAR FROM OUR KEY NOTE SPEAKERS:

Rob Hopkins on how to fall in love with the future: a time traveller’s guide to changing the world.

Anupam Yog on the community-led Experience Improvement District model, including the UK’s first pilot in Ramsgate.

Clare Inkster and Sam Furness on the science of optimism.

The Programme explores six connected themes covering:

• Healthier Lives – innovating approaches to health, wellbeing and social care
• Kinder Communities – celebrating people and organisations that strengthen communities
• Greener futures – showcasing practical environmental solutions
• Good Food for All – more resilient local food systems
• Thriving places – championing local economies where businesses and organisations work together
• A place to call home – new approaches to housing that create secure inclusive and sustainable communities

The six different Thematic Labs will be led by these people, and more; 

Hazel Sheffield, investigative journalist and author of Frontierlands, will share what she has learned from self-organising communities creating new possibilities in some of Britain’s most neglected places.

Victoria Williams of People Dem Collective will explore community asset development, inclusive regeneration and the organisation’s experience of bringing a disused building back to life.

Power to Change and Ramsgate Space will introduce Civic High Streets, a new model for transforming struggling town centres into places for services, housing, culture and community life.

Katie Pope of Social Enterprise Kent will share insights from Thanet Health Alliance, Vanessa Wood of Age UK Thanet will reflect on the success of supporting the mental wellbeing of older people in Thanet, and Jemma Channing will explore the role of creativity in preventative measures around mental health. 

DAY 3 WORKSHOPS & EXPERIENCES

Alongside the main conference, we have a load of fringe events planned across the three days including art exhibitions, quests, music, dancing and much more. Here are some of the interactive workshops taking place;

The Margate We're Dreaming Of exhibition, at 8-12 Harold Road, Cliftonville. Free to visit Thurs 1st - Sat 3rd Oct, open 1-6pm daily. With a Circular Margate community planter workshop on Sat 3rd Oct from 9.30am-12.30pm. Free to attend, spaces limited! 

Community Art Garden open day on Sat 3rd Oct from 10am-1pm, a growing space supported by Margate Pride. Free to attend.

Civic High Streets: a new model for struggling town centres on Sat 3rd Oct at Ramsgate Space, 17 Albert Court, Ramsgate. Free to attend.

Lucky Splat: hands on-making at A Stroke of Luck gallery, 7 Fort Road, Margate. Limited tickets, booking essential. 

Local experiences on Day 3 will be ticketed separately to manage capacity, but most will be free or a nominal fee.

Moving beyond the doom and gloom of the news-cycle, the Festival creates space to share what is already working, make new connections and turn optimism into practical action.