About us

An image of a Playground session. There is a baby next to Playground artist Jeremy, engaging and touching the guitar he is playing with. Next to them is a parent/carer who is looking at and touching their baby who is lying on their back on a black textured mat.

Playground is an exciting programme of creativity for young children and their families in libraries, children centres and other venues across Kent.

Our ambition is to empower young children and their families through engaging, transformative and high-quality creative activities. 

Delivered by a brilliant team of artists, young children and their families can enjoy and share Baby Playground (0 to 18 months) and or Family Playground (under 5 years).

A baby and mother are lying on a black textured mat. The baby is looking up whilst the mother is looking at the baby with her hand on their front.
Two mums are holding their children during a Playground session. One of the babies is looking ahead and laughing, whilst the other is looking at them. Both parents are smiling.

"Playground is an example of genuine community engagement practice for our youngest children and the adults who care for them… it is clear that a new model of creative engagement for the very young is emerging in Kent and there is much we can learn from the work…"

Rhona Matheson, CEO, Starcatchers

  • A parent/carer is lying on their side, looking at the baby and smiling. The baby is lying on their back and looking to the camera. They are holding some textured material in their hands.
  • A baby smiling and looking away from the camera
  • A young child and parent/carer are facing away from the camera. In front of them are illustrated drawings projected onto the wall and they making their own art piece within it with ribbon and tape
  • Babies and their parents/carers during a Playground session. There are a mix of babies sat or standing next their their parents/carers in a library

Our story

Playground is committed to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and in particular believes that ALL children have the right to access high-quality cultural activities. 

Experiencing high-quality creativity transforms lives and it is within these moments of connection that the magic happens. ​​Playground promotes the importance of creativity between parents, carers and their children, and the positive impact that it has from strengthening parent-child bonding and supporting social and communication skills, to the part they play in child development and building closer communities.

Playground began with a successful Arts Council England funded pilot in 2019, which introduced many families to the arts in libraries and areas in Kent where creativity wasn't always seen as accessible or relevant. In 2021 we were able to expand the programme across the entire county of Kent.

In 2023, we welcomed more than 8,000 families including babies as young as seven days old.

And we have exciting news for 2026! Playground will present a new early years international festival designed to bring together and celebrate the creativity of our young children, families alongside outstanding, engaging national, international work.

Playground is a partnership between Kent County Council’s Culture and Creative Economy Service and Kent Libraries and achieved National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) status with Arts Council England in April 2023.

Watch the full Playground documentary

Meet the team

A black and white image of Liz. She has short blonde hair and is wearing a black leather jacket. She is looking to the camera and smiling.

Liz Moran

Creative Director

A person looking away from the camera and towards a colleague smiling

Lucy Keeley

Playground Lead, Culture and Creative Economy Service

Sarah Bedingfield

Playground Lead, Innovation, Digital ＆ Libraries

Libby is looking at the camera and smiling. Behind and next to her are brick walls.

Libby Kinkead

Administrator

Mick Fearne

Service Development Officer, Libraries, Registration & Archives

Beryl Dzambo

Marketing and Digital Communications Manager

Photo of Chris looking at the camera and smiling. He is wearing a black top with a and standing in front of a white background

Chris Duncan

Filmmaker and Photographer

A person sat in a chair, looking to their side and smiling.

Dr Katie Goodbun

Social and Developmental Psychologist

Meet the artists

Playground is delivered by a brilliant team of 21 artists and musicians.

  • An artist looking to the side and smiling

    Daniel Naddafy

  • Jeremy Harrison

  • Lucky is stood in fornt of a white background and looking away from the camera. He is wearing a colourful print shirt.

    Lucky Moyo

  • An artist wearing sunglasses and a hat stood in front of a colourful background. The background includes a plant pot and rabbit to the right of the screen.

    Nicola Flower

  • Abigail Huan

  • Casey B

  • Dexter Newman

  • Grace Hann

  • Kelly O'Leary

  • Kenny Mangena

  • A woman with short blonde hair smiling at the camera. She is wearing a grey jumper.

    Lucy Thompson

  • Megan Garrett-Jones

  • Meire Machado

  • Natalie Parsons

  • Natalie Thomas

  • Nickie May

  • Robyn Olivia

  • Stasha Dukic

  • Tom Benjamin

  • A person looking to the side and smiling. They are stood behind a light grey background.

    Tom Tegento

Meet the board

We are supported by an international Advisory Board with experience spanning early years development, education, and arts and culture.

  • Rhona Matheson

    CEO, Starcatchers and Chair, Playground Board

  • Ian Ross

    Executive Director of B&R Productions and Vice Chair, Playground Board

  • Alastair Upton

    Chief Executive of Creative Folkestone

  • Georgia Hales

    Qualified Primary School Teacher & Playground parent

  • Michelle Stanley

    Lead Education Advisor, Kent County Council

  • Nao Miyauchi

    Freelance Arts Manager

  • Sonia Nayyar

    Project Manager, Cohesion Plus

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