Archives for Arts - Page 31
Artist Spotlight
Peter Quinnell Hastings-based artist, Peter Quinnell is, as his website so rightly suggests: ‘The original and best’. His prolific series of collage and 3D assemblages are characterised by a zany…
Hastings Contemporary Robot-Assisted Gallery Tours and AltPitch 2021
Merlin Betts considers the news that a robot is propping up our contemporary arts centre. Doors Closed, Exhibitions Open As part of its efforts to reduce the spread of Coronavirus,…
‘Virtual Spaces’ at The blackShed
By Gareth Stevens It will come as no surprise that The blackShed Gallery is closed during these times of ‘lockdown' – but for those of you who know the gallery’s…
BOOKBUSTER REVIEW
A Land By Jacquetta Hawkes A Pelican Book, paperback published 1959; hardback from Cresset Press, 1951 Review by Tim Barton Jacquetta Hawkes Perfidious Albion, the culmination of centuries under the Norman…
Dot Dash Explores the America Ground Online
MSL responds to the lockdown with an online cultural programme Dot Dash which runs from April to September. Margaret Sheehy, Director of MSL Projects explains: “Dot Dash, a largely digitally-hosted…
Arts Diary In The Time Of COVID-19
BFI Player and funding for the Screen Sector On 24th March BFI announced a new partnership with The Film and TV Charity to create a new COVID-19 Film and TV…
HIP LOCAL READ
Coming of Age By Danny Ryan Review by Amanda Pollard A friendly reviewer of this book writes on page one “I read it in one sitting”. This is encouraging since I’ve…
Hastings Literary Festival –2020 Statement
By Alison Steel Hastings Literary Festival 2020, due to take place at the end of August, has been cancelled following suspension of the Arts Council England’s National Lottery Project Grants…
Artist Spotlight
Q+A with Izaskun Gonzalez I first became aware of Izaskun Gonzalez’ sublime and, at times, unsettling body of work a few years ago, whilst living in London. Our paths crossed…
That Which I Once Knew and Thought
Merlin Betts interviews Katherine Weston-Smith and Sophie Shrubb, two students at UCH, about how they curated an exhibition at Dirty Old Gallery, West Street. The show is entitled “That Which…
Exciting New Works Emerge at streetsmART
On 22nd-23rd February Hastings’ Observer Building opened its doors for streetsmART, a unique celebration of graffiti and street art. Over 300 visitors took part in a five-hour ‘slam’ event on…
Forward March: Democracy Curtailed
On 18th March Hastings Borough Council formally approved Cllr Kim Forward as Council Leader in place of Cllr Peter Chowney, with Cllr Colin Fitzgerald appointed as deputy. Council officer Jane…
New Jersey Poet Tohm Bakelas Hits Hastings
Tohm Bakelas is a big name on the transatlantic underground poetry scene. A native of New Jersey, he currently works there as a psychiatric social worker and declares that he…
Arts Diary
Glitterbug A fundraiser screening of Derek Jarman’s Glitterbug – a lovingly compiled montage of Jarman’s Super 8 footage fused with a multitextured Brian Eno score, posthumously assembled by his friends.…
Waiting For Godot: A Discussion
Merlin Betts talks to Theatre Nation and the cast of their upcoming performance of “Waiting for Godot’, playing at the White Rock Theatre on 25th and 26th March and the…
Artist Spotlight
Ida Haag Ida Haag was born in Kungs-Husby, Sweden in 1979 and has a range of impressive qualifications, including a BA Fine Art from The University of East London. She…
Hastings LitFest
Writing Competitions Now Open Hastings Literary Festival has launched its writing competitions for 2020, offering prizes of up to £200 as well as support packages for emerging local writers. Last…
Bookbuster Book Review
A Sand County Almanac: & Sketches Here and There By Aldo LeopoldPublished by OUPPaperback £ available at Bookbusters REVIEW BY TIM BARTON Aldo Leopold died in 1948, helping fight a…
Conjunction In Isolation
Local Artist Andrew Harston worked as a successful mechanical design engineer for 12 years before realising that kind of life just isn’t what satisfies him. Eventually, he made the decision…
Enjoy Your Own Studio-on-Sea
Hastings Contemporary is trialing a new, potentially regular, workshop day, Studio-on-Sea, giving participants a chance to immerse themselves in the gallery’s latest exhibitions whilst developing new artistic skills and ;…
Functional Dysfunctional
The Zuzushii Art Laboratory’s recent show, Functional Dysfunctional invited visitors to challenge preconceived notions of objectivity and the every day. Gallery curators Tim Can and Fumico Azuma extended an open…
Barefoot Opera
Barefoot Opera launch new call-out and Jamboree for people to take part in a new homegrown opera project! Do you have a secret passion for music, singing and performance? Ever…
Arts Diary
New Queers on the Block On Saturday 7 March, New Queers On The Block, a touring series of shows programmed by the Marlborough Theatre in Brighton, present a double bill…
AltPitch Arts and Technology Festival coming to Hastings
AltPitch festival is dedicated to exploring the relationship between the digital world and humanity, and the responsibilities that come with our technological expansion. A week of exciting performances and supporting…
Gods Alight at the Forum
Simone Witney reviews the latest Stains and Traces show at the Arts Forum, running until 1st ; Colm Toibin has spoken of Seamus Heaney’s “always crediting the miraculous” as a…
Ballroom Glitz
It used to be strictly for the grandparents, but 2020 has seen several venues in Hastings and St Leonards start hosting Ballroom and Latin classes. What is behind the revival…
A Conversation Between an Artist, Curator and Community Project Founder
Marc Bauer mural in the upstairs exhibition space, DLWP. Photo by Rob Harris Conversation between artist Marc Bauer, Rossana Leal, founder of the Hastings & Rother Refugee Buddy Project, and…
Zadie Xa
Child of Magohalmi and the Echoes of Creation at the De La Warr Pavilion Multimedia artist Zadie Xa explores Korean myths and notions of cultural heritage in her awe-inspiring show:…
LGBTQ+ = Me
Hastings Museum & Art Gallery is celebrating LGBT History Month with an exhibition highlighting the little-known history of East Sussex’s LGBTQ+ communities called LGBTQ+ = Me. This is an exhibition…
Local Playwrights Show Their Talent Through ‘First Heard’
‘First Heard’ is a monthly play -reading event featuring new works by local playwrights, performed by professional actors. The readings are hosted at Electric Palace Cinema on the High Street.…
Umbrella Parade and Preservation Sunday
Families and Mardis Gras revellers are invited to join the parade on 23rd February! Muster at the Stade by and the procession will then depart at midday and head to…
Hastings International Piano Festival Wins ACE Funding For Education Projects
The inaugural Hastings International Piano Festival is proud to have won Arts Council funding to support their 2020 youth engagement offers, with further support offered by the Magdalen and Lasher…
Hastings International Piano Festival Announces Partnership With The National Youth Jazz Orchestra
The Inaugural Hastings International Piano Festival has announced a partnership with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra (NYJO) to launch their 2020 educational offer. In the lead up to the 2020…
Jake Wood Evans: Relic
Merlin Betts considers more of Jake Wood-Evans' abstract romance (small 'r', you critics) You might remember Jake from our previous feature on his solo show Legacy & Disorder, at Unit…
A Gateway to Explore Contemporary Challenges
AltPitch is a new Arts and Technology Festival that will explore the human aspect of technology, the relationship between the digital world and humanity, and the responsibility that comes with…
The Hastings Contemporary Winter Programme
By Mia L Earthly DelitesAcclaimed Irish artist Anne Ryan leads The Hastings Contemporary’s winter programme of events for 2020. Her headlining show Earthly Delites is a playful subversion of Hieronymus…
Stains and Traces V
By Mia L The annual 'Stains and Traces' exhibition will be opening its doors once again, at The Gallery at Hastings Arts Forum this February. This highly anticipated show first…
Urban Art Event Slams Into Observer Building
Street smART is an event from local arts producer MSL which lets practising and would-be artists and the general public watch, learn, try and buy street ; New works will…
Lights Out At The Curzon Cinema, Eastbourne
By Anna Arnone Late last year news broke locally that Eastbourne’s independent Curzon Cinema was to close. Poignantly, it’s now gone dark just short of what would’ve been its…
Drawing Life In The Boatyard Café
Hastings ContemporaryUntil 22nd March 2020Proceeds from the sale of work go to the Drawing Life charity. By Julia Mortimer The Drawing Life project has grown, almost beyond recognition. Long-term readers…