Redcar Palace is inviting the public to a special community celebration to see how a local art exhibition has grown. The event will take place on May 23, 2026, between 12pm and 3pm at the gallery on the Redcar seafront. It marks the end of a series of workshops where local people created art alongside professional artist Edek Thompson.
Groups including the Blooming Youth Collective and the Which?Craft ladies will see their work displayed in the professional gallery space. The exhibition, titled Apocalypse Remix, explores a future world impacted by climate change through fun and unusual images.
Edek Thompson is a community artist who paints creatures like crows and pigeons to imagine how they might adapt to a changing planet. His work often features strange mutations, such as duck feet, to help animals survive in a future world underwater.
Sustainability is at the heart of the project, with Edek using found materials and household paint rescued from landfill. He also uses boards from building sites and leftover vinyl to show that great art can be made from things people have at home. The artist originally started the project to work through his own anxieties and explore his personal mental health and wellbeing. It has since developed into a way to help the wider community build supportive and nurturing relationships through art.
The project is supported by public funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England. Redcar Palace serves as a vibrant community hub that hosts many permanent groups throughout the week. Young people aged 14 to 24 meet every Tuesday evening, while a ladies' crafting group gathers on Wednesday mornings. There is also a weekly life drawing class and a new collaborative queer sewing group that meets on Wednesday evenings.
The gallery is open from Tuesday to Saturday each week for anyone who wants to explore the local talent on display. Staff hope the exhibition will help spread a little joy and optimism while celebrating the positive impact of being creative. Everyone is welcome to drop in during the celebration day to see what the community has achieved together. Location: Redcar.
