Meet one of the artists bringing creativity to Chatham
Date posted 09/09/2026
As part of the wider programme of regeneration and new homes in Chatham, Medway Development Company is shining a light on the people who help give the town its distinctive character. Meet Kerrie Owens, who has been based at Nucleus Arts on Chatham High Street since 2021.
Creativity in Chatham
Kerrie is a lapidary stone carver and theatre prop maker, working with materials including semi-precious stones, fossils, wood and shell to create jewellery and other pieces.
Her interest in stone carving developed during a 10-month trip around New Zealand, where she discovered Māori jade carving and took classes to develop her skills. Since then, she has continued to build her largely self-taught practice.
For Kerrie, however, art is about more than creating. “Art uplifts people and creates community,” she says. “For me, it was purely a mental health aspect and helps people move from darker spaces and develop something amazing.”
Kerrie also helps with Nucleus Arts’ Mini Nucleus group, introducing younger people to creativity and encouraging them to explore their own ideas.
A creative community
Nucleus Arts provides affordable studio space for artists alongside workshops and activities for the wider community. Its Chatham centre is now home to 37 studios and more than 45 artists.
Kerrie has seen the wider creative scene grow too, with festivals, events and activities bringing people into the town centre.
“There is a real community here,” she says. “People are getting involved in things and coming out when there is activity on.”
From Chinese New Year celebrations and carnivals to creative workshops and community events, the arts are playing an increasingly visible role in Chatham.
Creating a place to live, work and connect
The growing creative community is one part of the wider transformation taking place across Chatham.