Margate is heaven to me

Madonna has called the seaside town of Margate her “idea of heaven”.

The singer made the comments on social media after visiting her friend Dame Tracey Emin at the artist’s studio in the Kent town.

The 67-year-old said: “The whole town seems to be inhabited and energised by creativity – writers and performance artists, photographers and painters.

“This is my idea of heaven. Whenever I go there, I feel like I’ve entered a dream.”

The American pop singer has long had ties to the UK, having owned several properties in London over the years.

Madonna is friends with Dame Tracey Emin, the Margate artist

In her post about her trip to Kent, Madonna praised Dame Tracey, calling her “a pearl”.

“I have known Tracey for over 25 years and I’ve always been a fan of her extremely personal and provocative work,” she said. “But what she has created in this community by the sea is quite remarkable.”

She said she was impressed by her friend’s art school programme, the Tracey Emin Artist Residency, and the students on the programme.

“I’m always struck by the commitment and passion of all of these artists – hungry, possessed, and extremely grateful to have this opportunity.”

The residency programme, which markets itself as a similar level to a Masters degree, offers a free, studio-based art school that “encourages the development of studio practice”.

Last year, Madonna visited central London to support her son Rocco’s art show. She and her ex-husband Guy Ritchie toured his Talk Is Cheap exhibition.

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