A contemporary Exhibition Space showcasing new and experimental work from established and emerging artists. SVAF also actively promotes and engages with artists’ collaboration projects and formulate interactive community, school and University projects in the Gallery.
Rosalind Barker MA and Susan Evans MFA with the members of the Sevenoaks Visual Arts Forum, run The KCC Sevenoaks Kaleidoscope Art Gallery as an artist led space.The forum is based at the Gallery.
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SCARS Alec Dent
Opens Wednesday 6 May 2026 6- 8
Join us for the opening evening of Scars. Refreshments from 6. Artist in conversation 6:30 – 7:30. Alec will provide visitors with an opportunity to explore this rarely visited area of Kent through his photographs. Alec will lead an informal walk and talk around the exhibition, highlighting his interests in the locations, his photographic practise and how the landscape has continued to change throughout the project. There will also be a soundscape video accompanied by Alec’s original music composition.
This is the only opportunity to see the exhibition outside normal opening hours. The Gallery will close promptly at 8pm.
Scars is a photographic exploration of the South East Coast, looking at the remnants of past industrial and wartime construction and how overtime nature has overpowered and reclaimed these structures on this ever-changing landscape. Now all that remains are these fragments, remnants and scars that over time have been battered and worn. Shaped by the wind, drowned by the sea and moved by the ground they stand on. Built for a purpose, now obsolete. Clinging on as concrete crumbles, metal rusts, wood splintered and rotten. As time passes, fewer will remain.
The Scars exhibition includes over 30 photos from this ongoing project, alongside a video recorded at many of the same locations which is accompanied by a musical composition. The music has even created using field recordings and electronic music to add a deeper connection to the landscape.
To accompany the exhibition Alec has created a limited-edition photobook titled ‘Scars’, which like the exhibition explores the South East Coast and all its liminal and desolate spaces. The photobook is a handmade book made it collaboration with Matt at Toner, who is book maker and photographer based in Penzance.
Alec Dent Biography:
Having developed an interest in photography after making use of an old family camera in 2022, Alec began looking for subjects. Since music was already a huge part of Alec’s life and how he interpreted the world around him, photography has become a natural extension of this practise. Since first encountering the South East Coast’s liminal spaces nearly 3 years ago, Alec has returned many times to photograph these places as his photographic eye has developed. The photographs have been featured in several group exhibitions, now all coming together for his first solo show.
The Sevenoaks Kaleidoscope Mezzanine Exhibition Space
Martin Garwood
The Wind Rippers 6 – 16 May
Martin Garwood is a photographer. He loves Swifts. A few years ago he self-published “The Wind Rippers”, a collection of his photographs and a range of written extracts from Gilbert White to Tim Dee exploring our relationship to these wonderful birds. Swifts start arriving in this country in early May having spent our winter in Southern Africa, constantly on the wing, eating, sleeping and mating in the air. This short exhibition in the Mezzanine space is a celebration of their return in words and images.
Swifts are now “red-listed” by the British Trust for Ornithology, as each year the number breeding here is declining steeply. For many of us the sight and sound of swifts charging around our rooftops is one of the principal delights of high Summer but such encounters are sadly getting rarer. The work on show is intended to illustrate Martin’s ongoing commitment to these enigmatic birds and to their important place in our culture and our biodiversity.
His book “The Wind Rippers – Encounters with Swifts” can be ordered directly from Martin at £12.50 including postage. Please contact him at tonswifts@btinternet.com. Find out more about Swifts and the work of the charity that Martin and friends have set up at www.highwealdswifts.co.uk.
The Mezzanine will then be closed on May 18 for refurbishment as the sink, fridge and cupboard area is removed and a display wall is created.
The SVAF Community Art Project 2026 Horsing Around Sevenoaks
Why Horses and ponies?
It will weave together that 2026 is the Year of the Horse. The Kent County Council logo is a white horse. The relaunch of Explore your Kaleidoscope, a joyous fold out interactive leaflet aimed at guiding visitors of all ages around the 4 different levels of the building in an art treasure hunt. Including find the mischievous Kaleidoscope pony who is covered in your children’s drawings and the ‘hidden’ artworks commissioned by KCC at the 2007 opening of the new Kaleidoscope Library, Gallery and Museum. 2027 will be the 20th anniversary.
SVAF Artist led Drop in Free Family Art Workshops
The Horsing Around Sevenoaks herd needs to grow. Join in our Pony and Horse themed free artist led workshops
Saturday 2 May Horse surprise with Wendy Steyn and Cliona Murphy
Saturday 9 May Horse surprise with Sue Evans
All Family workshops are 10:30 – 12:30
Drop in or stay Children must be accompanied
ALL materials provided
Dress for mess
Thank you to all the SVAF artist for their April Pony themed workshops on Saturdays and across the Easter break. Susanne Beard – horse painting, Christine Highlane– collage, Sarah Cliff- drawing and collage, Sue Evans- pony surprise, Wendy Steryn and Cliona Murphy for our May Day workshop Saturday May 2nd.
JOIN IN
Your pony or horse can be any shape or type of horse, not just the head. It can be multiples of small horses.
We can provide paper and templates, or you do your own thing.
Email Ros and Sue at sevenoakskaleidoscope@gmail.com if you have a group aged 2 – 92 who would like to be involved.
Thank you to Susanne Beard who ran the first workshop for Horsing Around Sevenoaks working with Forget-me-Not-Café
Sevenoaks Library Knit and Natter group are already Horsing Around Sevenoaks
If you run a group of any age 2 – 92 and would like to join in the fun. Email us: sevenoakskaleidoscope@gmail.com
NOT JUST 7 OAKS the KALEIDOSCOPE FOREST of the IMAGINATION
The SVAF Community Art Project 2025
Thank you for all your arty Trees in every sort of media for our Forest of the Imagination on the Mezzanine outside the Gallery.
Thank you to The Otford Embroidery Group, The Sevenoaks Kaleidoscope Knit and Natter Group, EPIC St Barts Youth Club, Sevenoaks Adult Social Services, Otford Library children’s craft morning and Forget-me-Not-Cafe for many stunning fun trees.
Every Saturday in June and July the drop-in workshops at Kaleidoscope were enthusiastically attended by many families. The inventiveness and pleasure expressed in making by all the family members has made this a joyful project. We owe a big thank you to lead artists Sarah Cliff, Susanne Beard, Sue Evans, Amanda Hopkins and Irene Vaughan who volunteered to run them.
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