Madonna says Margate is ‘her idea of heaven’ — here’s what won her over

When the Queen of Pop called the Kentish town of Margate her “idea of heaven”, I knew I had to see it for myself.

Stepping off the train after an 80-mile trip from London, I was immediately met by a riot of murals, thoughtful graffiti and street art.

With its dense concentration of studios, galleries and grassroots creative spaces, it is clear art does not just exist here, it’s woven into the town’s fabric.

That may help explain why Madonna has become a regular presence on the south-east coast. Her latest visit coincided with Margate’s Off Season winter art festival, where the Material Girl singer appeared in support of her friend Dame Tracey Emin.

Max Bopp was one of the many artists involved in the weekend of exhibitions and events.

He said: “A lot of people were quite shocked to find out Madonna was here, but what was more shocking and exciting was seeing the post that she made about Margate, sharing her feelings about the town. It very much felt like she was here to enjoy and support the culture.

“It’s special that she came, but it’s also not surprising. It’s deserved, what’s happening here is really special and it’s great that people are noticing that. The energy is here and people are throwing together shows, making things happen, and I think that’s what she’s picking up on – this energetic curiosity and spontaneity that Margate really offers at the moment.”

But it isn’t just the art that has drawn Madonna to Margate. She also appears to be developing a taste for the town’s food scene – particularly one standout Italian gem.

Both times she’s dined at Cantina Caruso, the sister restaurant to Bottega Carusa, a small restaurant specialising in authentic Italian cuisine.

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Opened eight years ago by Harry Ryder and his partner Simona Di Dio, it is inspired by the food, recipes and wines from Simona’s hometown, Foglianise, a small village an hour away from Naples.

Speaking about the singer’s visit, Simona said: “My children love Madonna, so when my son heard she was coming, he said ‘Can I be there with you?’ He was serving, putting things on the table.

“It felt like a really lovely family and friends [event], sitting at a big table, eating together and chatting. It felt really unusually relaxed. It was an amazing experience.”

Madonna’s visits have put Margate in the spotlight, but she is not the only famous face to frequent the town.

“Madonna is not the only A-list celebrity we have,” says Thanet District Councillor Kristian Bright. “I actually came out of a council meeting a couple weeks ago and nearly bumped into Rami Malek who was jogging. I think it’s because we’ve got that really cool, edgy, up-and-coming feel to the district.”

Cllr Bright believes Madonna’s visit was driven by Margate’s flourishing arts scene, which has thrived over the past 15 to 20 years.

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“Dame Tracey Emin has brought into the district a lot of that enthusiasm for the town and the culture,” Cllr Bright says. “We’ve also got the Turner Contemporary, which is standing on the hotel from which J.M.W Turner learnt how to paint in the early 1900s. So, Margate has an incredibly deep connection with the arts.”

And the town could be propelled even further into the spotlight with a potential bid for UK City of Culture 2029.

Cllr Bright explains: “Our local MP Polly Billington is working with Dame Tracey Emin on potentially putting in a bid for the UK City of Culture, we’re going to call it the “UK Isle of Culture”, going across Thanet.”

And as Madonna wrote in her tribute to the Kentish Town: “It’s good to share something in the news that is not about hatred and killing, but instead celebrates human connection and art’s power to elevate and bring people together.”