DISCOVER A HIVE OF CULTURE AND CREATIVITY

CULTURE VULTURES ASSEMBLE! THIS COUNTY OFFERS THE PERFECT MIX OF GALLERIES, MUSEUMS, EXHIBITIONS AND FESTIVALS

East Sussex has a veritable feast of cultural activities to get your teeth into. This coastal county has inspired artists and writers for years, and there’s a plethora of art galleries and museums to visit, plus a busy calendar of festivals and events throughout the year. So get out there and be inspired!

East Sussex attracts some of Britain’s finest painters, who are drawn to the distinctive light and nearby South Downs. From cutting-edge contemporary galleries to local history museums and heritage homes, it’s easy to get your art and culture fix in East Sussex.

Towner Eastbourne opened in April 2009, and is the largest gallery space in the South East. It was named the Art Fund Museum of the Year in 2020, and the gallery presents a programme of major exhibitions alongside displays from the internationally renowned, 4,000-strong Towner Collection. This collection is best known for its modern British art, which includes the largest and most significant body of work by Eric Ravilious.

Stunning Landscapes

The Beachy Head Story is Eastbourne’s newest exhibition and allows visitors to discover the beautiful landscape of Beachy Head and the South Downs. The exhibition artwork was created by local artist Ellie Fryer, and evokes the exhibition’s key themes of heritage, environment and folklore. It’s a family-friendly exhibition, with trails suitable for children.

Another creative and cultural hub in Eastbourne is the Devonshire Collective, which is the umbrella organisation for three creative sites: Volt Gallery & Project Space, Makerspace and DC Learn. It’s a wonderful ‘art crawl’ that supports emerging and established artists in both the visual and performing arts, as well as running creative courses and workshops.

The award-winning Hastings Contemporary sits next to the fishing beach in Hastings’ historic Old Town. The gallery hosts a diverse range of temporary exhibitions which feature British art from the 20th and 21st centuries. Previous artists have included Sir Quentin Blake, Rose Wylie, Gary Hume, Gillian Ayres, Jeffery Camp, Basil Beattie, Ansel Krut, Barbara Walker, Chantal Joffe, and Ibrahim el Salahi – to name a few!

If you’d prefer to browse some smaller, independent galleries, Hastings will sort you out. Rebel Gallery is home to artists Jon and Suzanne Wilhelm, whose paintings, sketches and photographs are heavily influenced by Hastings and its surrounds.

Electro Studios Project Space, meanwhile, is an independent new space for curated projects in St Leonards-on-Sea.

Hastings Pier also puts on innovative exhibitions. It’s worth going just for the pier, which won the RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architecture) Stirling Prize in 2017.

Hastings Arts Forum supports local artists and provides exhibition space at its gallery. Previous exhibitions have included a collaborative from Brighton Photo Fringe and Photohastings, and surreal landscapes by local artist Katherine Reekie.

Hastings Museum & Art Gallery is a family-friendly museum in Hastings with a diverse collection of local history, fine and decorative arts and natural sciences.

Over in Bexhill-on-Sea, the De La Warr Pavilion is a Grade 1-listed, 1930s modernist building, which has put on exhibitions by artists Jeremy Deller, Antony Gormley, Richard Wilson and Andy Warhol. Once you’re done soaking up the art, you can enjoy music, comedy and film in the auditorium or grab a drink in the café/bar, which has outside balconies and magnificent sea views.

Diverse Works

The arty discoveries keep on coming in Rye, which has a wealth of independent galleries and studios. Pick up an original piece of art at Rye Art Gallery, or check out the work of sculptors, ceramicists and jewellery designers at Red Door.

McCully & Crane art gallery sells a range of art, from 18th-century Indian prints to mid-century European paintings, as well as contemporary artists from Rye and further afield.

At Avocet Gallery, you browse art by more than 50 local contemporary artists and craftspeople. Based in Rye Harbour, the gallery is run by award-winning photographer Peter Greenhalf and former journalist Morgan Greenhalf. Wander down the pretty streets of historic Lewes and you’ll be treated to a host of quirky galleries and museums. Try Chalk Gallery, which shows beautiful art at affordable prices; Star Brewery Gallery, which hosts exhibitions by local, regional, national and international artists; and Meiklejohn Gallery, which hosts exhibitions of contemporary craft, print, sculpture and paintings from emerging and established artists.

If you’re in the area in September, hit the Artwave Festival, an annual art trail that takes in 140 artists’ studios, homes, galleries and workshops across Lewes, Newhaven and Seaford.

Speaking of Seaford, the coastal town is home to the Crypt Gallery, a beautiful building, which has an atmospheric medieval croft and contemporary flint gallery, where national, international and local artists and makers are on display all year round.

Not only do Towner Eastbourne, Hastings Contemporary and Bexhill’s De La Warr Pavilion display fantastic contemporary art – they’re all connected by 18 miles of coastline known as the Coastal Culture Trail. You can travel the trail by train, but cycling is a great way to see the coastline, and you can hire bikes from Bell’s Bicycles in Hastings or Let’s Bike in Eastbourne. The trail is also great for families, with a range of activities for kids of all ages, from creative workshops to exciting play parks.

The Lewes area has a rich cultural heritage. Virginia and Leonard Woolf’s former home, Monk’s House, is in nearby Rodmell, while Charleston, the home of Virginia Woolf’s sister Vanessa Bell, is just down the road, near Firle.

Charleston became a meeting place for the writers and intellectuals known as the Bloomsbury Set, and the house and its beautiful gardens are open to the public. You can still see the interior designs on the doors and furniture created by Vanessa and her partner, Duncan Grant, as well as a range of art exhibitions.

From live music and theatre to a thriving year-round festival scene, East Sussex delivers all the cultural goods. So get out there and enjoy some live performance – it’s good for the soul!

Major Touring Productions

You’ll find Victorian elegance aplenty at Eastbourne’s Devonshire Park Theatre, designed by English theatrical architect and designer Frank Matcham. Dubbed ‘The Playhouse in the Park’, it puts on major touring productions and one-night shows, as well as regular performances by the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

Nearby, The Winter Garden was built by the seventh Duke of Devonshire in 1875, is used for a variety of events, including comedy clubs, tea dances, exhibitions and live music, though it’s currently closed for refurbishment. The town’s Congress Theatre is the biggest theatre on the south coast. Come in here to take in a comedy show or touring West End production.

If you prefer your culture on screen, Kino Rye is a fabulous cinema set in a super stylish building. So much so that it’s picked up several design nods, including a prestigious RIBA regional award. There are two screens with comfy seats, and a great café.

There’s lots going on in Rye to keep the whole family entertained, all year round. Annual events include Rye Bay Scallops Week at the end of February, the Peasmarsh Chamber Music Festival in June, the Rye Society of Artists Summer Exhibition, and Rye International Jazz & Blues Festival in August.

Rye is also home to the biggest and most successful multi-arts festival to be found in East Sussex. For 50 years, Rye Arts Festival has been bringing high-quality music, drama, walks, art and many other events to the town throughout September.

Close by Lewes is Glyndebourne Opera House, which was founded in 1934 by John Christie and his opera-singer wife, Audrey Mildmay. Glyndebourne Festival runs from May to August, with a programme of six operas in a 1,200-seat indoor opera house.

If jazz, funk and soul is more your scene, Glynde also hosts Love Supreme, an annual three-day jazz festival held on the first weekend of July at the foot of the South Downs. Over in Lewes you can attend talks by authors and poets at the Speakers Festival at the town’s All Saints Centre, over several days in January.

Thriving Destination

Hastings declared itself a ‘Music City’ back in 2017, and it’s no wonder, given the town’s thriving festival and events scene. The Jack in the Green Festival is a four-day event that celebrates British May Day.

It includes social events, family fun and music of all genres from some of the best local bands. The weekend is topped off by the main event on May Bank Holiday Monday, with a wild costumed parade.

Hastings Old Town Carnival Week is a week of exciting events including open houses and gardens, the famous Pram Race and a series of free beach concerts, all ending with a spectacular carnival procession. Coastal Currents, in September, showcases a wide range of art exhibitions, live performances and events right across 1066 Country.

For year-round live music, comedy and more, head to the White Rock Theatre. Derren Brown, Russell Brand and Billy Bragg are just a few of the big names to have performed here. Whether you’re into art, live music or summer festivals, East Sussex has it all, so open your mind, get out there and enjoy!