what’s on at kollectiv
Every Sunday of September
12pm
This is not a book club. This is a support group.
Join us in a conversation about Shakespeare’s bloodiest play - Titus Andronicus. Together, we go through it at our own pace - some will finish, others will never read the first page.
The point of the group is to explore, expand and enjoy. You will meet people who want to face big literature without fear, talk about things related to the book but maybe not really about the book, and find out more about the context. We will probably wonder if Shakespeare was one person or many, talk about gore in the play, compare some adaptation and think about going to the Globe together. Anything can happen. Just come and check it out.
Thursday 10 September
7:30pm
It's the first one. Everybody walking in will be new.
Is this for me?
Almost certainly, yes, and you do not need to be technical. Not a bit, not secretly, not "well, I did a course once".
FAM is for everybody, but specially for people who make things: illustrators, filmmakers, producers, sound people, designers, writers, anybody working in or around the creative industries that have suddenly got a lot to argue about. You do not need to understand how any of this works to have a useful opinion about what it is doing to your work, and the people who do understand how it works are, on the whole, keen to explain it to you at the bar.
Some people coming are excited about all of it. Some are angry about all of it. Quite a few will be both, on the same evening, about the same thing. All of that is welcome, so long as you extend the same patience to the person standing next to you that you would want extended to you.
Nobody is selling anything from the front. There is no recruiter working the room and no pitch at the end. It is a room, some chairs, a projector and a bar.
And since this is the very first one: there is no in-crowd to be outside of. Everybody there will be working out what it is at the same time you are.
If it helps to know where the line is before you come: read the code of conduct. It is short and we mean it.
More info here:
Wednesday, 16th September 7pm
Want to know more about AI?
SolidGoldMagikarp - A Descent into the AI Underworld a book by Matthew Watkins is a gripping descent into the hidden psychology of AI, and the strange subcultures trying to control it before it destroys us!
Watkins will be in conversation with Latham about the book and how his time in Berkeley, California studying a precursor to ChatGPT led to mind-boggling discoveries and ultimately, some hope for humankind.
Mathematician Matthew Watkins is also a local historian, DJ, psychonaut and 'the most exhiliratingly intelligent author of the thousands I have met' , says Dr Martin Latham, author of the Penguin paperback The Booksellers Tale, and Waterstones Canterbury Manager 1990-2025.
An innocuous looking trigger word sent a frontier language model into what looked like full-blown paranoia. Was it a simple bug? A trail of breadcrumbs left by whistleblowers? Or a glimpse into how AI really thinks?
The search for answers pulls Watkins into the sci-fi world of AI safety research. In this rapidly expanding domain, the line between science and belief blurs: billionaires play god while rogue chatbots win fortunes and cult followings. What starts as a computer mystery becomes something much bigger: both a window into the eerie inner worlds of large language models.
‘Top notch. Unfolding like a nerdy occult techno-thriller, Watkins tells the weird tale of how he discovered two ghosts in the LLM machine - ‘glitch tokens’ whose uncanny behavior makes it clear, at least, that AI will enchant as much as it will disrupt. The deets are important, and Watkins presents them with care and clarity. But equally valuable is his dry Gen X take on certain Bay Area-correlated pockets of the AI alignment scene whose cultural peculiarities continue to shape our visions of the technological future.’ - ERIK DAVIS, author of HIGH WEIRDNESS
‘Watkins was the sole witness to the weirdest - and perhaps most important - story in AI. His rigorous obsession with this mystery will become yours.’ - CULLEN HOBACK, director of MONEY ELECTRIC
recurring events
We run a weekly writing workshop keeping our ticket prices low to encourage as many people as possible to participate. We’ve been meeting for over a year, accepting new writers every week.
The group has been described as ‘life changing’ and ‘the best thing in Folkestone’ by some of the participants. We strive to make sure all voices are heard and the group keeps its intimate and friendly atmosphere.
Poems on all subjects are welcome, whether your own work or a favourite poet.
Our May open mic was dazzling, with humour, love, deep emotion, all shared to an enthralled gathering, proving Wordsworth's comment below to be true.
Performance slots are up to 5 minutes. Or just come to listen.
£5 on the door.
Please arrive promptly at 7pm
Dive into a magical world of words and pictures. Comics Kollectiv is a monthly book club focused on graphic novels. From heartbreaking memoirs to stoner comedies and superhero classics, each month we’ll explore unique stories and colourful characters told through this exciting medium (which is obviously the best medium).
Expect lively discussions, fresh perspectives, and something to drink (cold or hot). Whether you’re a longtime graphic novel fan or just curious about the medium, this is a place to get inspired, challenge your imagination, and connect with others who love stories told in panels and ink.
July 16th: Palestine by Joe Sacco
August 13th: Making Comics by Lynda Berry
September 17th: Acting Class by Nick Drnaso
October 15th: Bad Gateway by Simon Hanselmann
November 19th: Red Son by Mark Millarb
December 17th: Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant? / Talking to my Father’s Ghost by Roz Chast and Alex Krokus
January 14th: Black Hole by Charles Burns
February 18th: Diary of a Teenage Girl by Phoebe Gloekner
March 18th: Watchmen by Alan Moore
Curated by local illustrators and comics writers, Navied Mahdavian (This Country: Searching for Home in (Very) Rural America) and Ben Gore (imagined matter; Hip Hop Cocktails), meetings will be a mixture of conversation and doodling (we’ll doodle, but you can join if you’d like).
Come for the books. Stay for the conversations. Leave seeing stories differently.
Ages 13 and up.
Books can be bought at our local comics shop, Lighthouse Comics for a 20% discount. Shop local, please.
Every Monday
10am-1pm
Join us for a wholesome morning at kollectiv - let’s play scrabble together! Join us for as long as you can - grab a coffee and a cake from the bar and let’s get scrabbling (is it even a word?)
People of all levels of experience are very welcome to join this friendly and chatty group. It's a good opportunity to meet new people, have fun and improve your Scrabble skills.
Why scrabble?
An easy to learn game it keeps your mind active. It’s a great way of socialising, getting out of the house and making new friends.
And even if you don’t know how to spell a word, it might turn out you just find a new one!
Every Saturday
4pm-6pm
Discover our friendly, fully inclusive craft group right here at Kollectiv. Everyone is welcome, no matter your age, background, or ability – whether you love knitting, crochet, or want to try both, you’ll find a kind, safe, and inviting place with us.
If you’ve been crafting for decades or have never held a hook or pair of needles before, you’ll fit right in. We gather to share our passion for all things yarn – from cosy scarves, soft blankets and cute toys to intricate patterns and colourful creations. There’s no pressure to be perfect: we help each other learn new techniques, fix dropped stitches, swap patterns, handy tips, and cheer on every finished project, big or small. It’s a lovely chance to relax, chat, make new friends and enjoy some quiet creative time away from the busyness of everyday life.
Best of all, there is no charge to attend! Drinks and delicious pastries are available to buy from the bar. Bring along whatever you’re working on. If you’re a beginner we have plenty of patience to help you get started. We welcome other crafts too.
Come along, pull up a chair, and unwind with yarn in good company – we’d love to meet you!