Artists on Sea

January 11, 2012

Artists on Sea

The redevelopment of Hastings Old Town is continuing with the imminent opening of the Jerwood Gallery on Hasting’s waterfront. The gallery is due to open in March and will display the Jerwood Foundation’s impressive collection of 20th and 21st century art, including work by Stanley Spencer, Lowry, Walter Sickert and Augustus John.

The gallery is just one of the changes being made as part of a £9million regeneration project of The Stade, the traditional home of Hastings’ famous fishing fleet. The plans have not been unilaterally supported by the locals as they argue that Hastings Old Town is already an attractive and authentic, working community that won’t benefit from the gallery and may even be damaged by it. It’s a tough one – the brilliant De la Warr Pavilion in neighbouring Bexhill-on-Sea is a wonderful place for art lovers to visit, but its financial success is under question and there is talk of building hotels on the seafront to boost visitor numbers – a move that has angered Bexhill residents and no doubt worried those in Hastings.

Either way, we’re already big fans of Hastings Old Town here at The Weekenders, and would encourage you to visit, whether to visit the new gallery or to soak up the atmosphere of the narrow streets, lengthy beach and fisherman’s huts and gorge on fish and chips. Stay at lovely Swan House to make an ozone-drenched weekend of it.



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