Up and coming designers have added their talents to a campaign to re-think the traditional bucket-and-spade image of Kent’s seaside towns in a bid to attract fresh visitors.

The second year undergraduates studying Design, Branding and Marketing at the University for the Creative Arts in Rochester are staging an exhibition, appropriately at Margate Pier, as part of a project being run by Visit Kent to highlight the county’s coastal attractions.

The ten designers’ exhibition, The Creative Coast, is being launched on Friday October 17 from 5pm at the Isle of Thanet Arts gallery, No 10 Margate Pier, at a preview party with invited guests. The postcards will then be exhibited for all to see at the gallery until Friday October 24 between 10am and 5pm daily, apart from Monday and Tuesday.

Amanda Cottrell, Chairman of Visit Kent, said: “The seaside postcard project is part of an ongoing campaign to change the perception of Kent’s coast from one of declining seaside resorts to one of an active and vibrant place to be.

“We are inviting people to take a fresh look at the coast, stretching from Whitstable right round to Dungeness. Today’s visitors are likely to be found eating oysters as well as sticks of rock and our campaign reflects that rich cultural life along the Kent coastline.” She added,”There is nothing more appropriate than asking these talented young designers to help us with this effort to take a fresh look.”

The Kent’s Culture Coast campaign precedes the opening of the Turner Contemporary in 2010 in Thanet and includes support for existing popular cultural events such as the Broadstairs Folk Festival and Margate Rocks.

Andrew Jackson, tutor at the University for the Creative Arts, led the students’ art project. He said: “Their brief was to produce strong imagery using the familiar seaside postcard format, and to push the boundaries to highlight the different cultural activities and venues along the Kent coast.”

Cash prizes will be awarded to three students: Daniel Mogentale (first place), Ryan Hawkes (second) and William Waterman (third), who will receive their prizes from Amanda Cottrell, Chairman of Visit Kent, at the exhibition launch.

UCA students will also be working with Visit Kent on a future project designed to promote the county’s water sports.