UPDATE:  the stolen artwork was returned by the thieves on 29th November.

The renowned artist Peter Doherty, resident of Margate, donated a series of new artwork to Stretch Charity’s Outsiders Festival last week.
The opening event was held in the Yard Outsiders Bar in Margate, a temporary basement space in the west of Margate.  Several hundred creatives and art buyers attended the evening, accompanied by a performance by Kirsty Allison and the Children of the Burning Sun.  The heist is expected to have occurred as they played, with audiences captured by a show of poetry meeting music which is  being described by critics as “blonde death”.

With price tags of upto £6000 for mixed media canvases featuring poetry, lyrics, stencils of crack pipes and needles –  it was too good an opportunity to miss.  For someone.

Dean Stalham, organiser of the event said on social media: “So get this – find a new space – work my nuts off for three days solid to get it ready for a great opening night – put on a great band – have a donation bar for Great Ormond Street- give away free Out Cider – exhibit some great art by local Margate talent- Convince Pete Doherty to donate some of his latest works for charity -and then what happens? SOME SCUM GOES AND NICKS A PIECE OF PETES WORK! If the person who stole it is reading this – or persons who know who nicked it are – it has a price listed at 3 k – it’s now worth nothing – It’s been reported to the Police- I have cctv footage that over looks the back yard – so will see all comings and goings- and film footage of the event – the rushes are being looked at as we speak- I will find out who has taken this diabolical liberty- A liberty that goes completely against the ethos of this festival of outsider arts- Do the right thing and get it back to me – This is so wrong on so many levels DX Please – if anyone knows anything- please contact me privately – we can sort this out dx”

The Outsiders Festival is supported by the Arts Council, and previous years have seen performances by Adam J Harmer of the Fat White Family, and many more.  Carlotta Allum of the charity also runs the hugely successful Kiss My Art battles, wwhich also encourage new voices to be seen and heard in art.

The festival encourages artists from a variety of backgrounds to show in galleries.  Stretch charity supports ex-offenders – and others against the corporate hegemony of society’s elitism.
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