There are three new exhibitions at the Hastings Contemporary – three for the price of one – and each one of them very fresh and exciting. Of the three artists I had only known the work of one, Michael Landy, of YBA fame. The other two, Sophie Barber and Isabel Rock, were completely new to me. The shows have been well curated; two very colourful exhibitions, while in the middle gallery there is a restful pause of Michael Landy’s drawings. HOT’s Lauris Morgan-Griffiths was pleasantly surprised by the quality of all three artists.
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Local community benefit society Energise Sussex Coast (ESC) will be holding two free energy advice drop-in sessions at the Pebsham Community Hub (70 Seabourne Road, Bexhill, TN40 2SW) on Wednesday 15 October and Wednesday 29 October. Both sessions will run 9.30–11am. ESC’s Gabriel Carlyle explains what sort of things they can help you with.
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Supporters of Your Party, which is being formed by leftwingers disillusioned with the Labour government, and perhaps with party politics in general, enjoyed a successful inaugural meeting in St Leonards last week. Next up is a rally to be held at Horntye sports centre on 18 October when the party’s co-founder Jeremy Corbyn will be in attendance. Nick Terdre reports.
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The 2025 Hastings Chamber Music Festival is back with its most ambitious and varied programme to date, offering a vibrant mix of four chamber music concerts that span an impressive 350 years of repertoire, from the Baroque to contemporary works. Nick Terdre explores what is on offer.
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TV Festival is back at the Electric Palace cinema this 9-12 October, says Annie Waite. This annual festival of communal TV watching, discussion and reminiscence includes a popular Doctor Who event, a focus on Graham Greene, and celebrating crime sleuthing onscreen with a Murder She Wrote special!
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The Bexhill and Hastings branch of the United Nations Association will hold a public seminar on 25 October to discuss issues of war and peace, when it will put forward a proposal for how peace could be secured in Palestine. Bea Rogers explains the thinking behind the session.
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Hastings Jews for Justice has issued the following statement condemning the attack at a synagogue in Manchester yesterday.
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As anyone knows who has lived in Hastings for any amount of time, the town pretty much runs on volunteers – with quite a heavy bias on the creatives. So it is no surprise to find exhibitions are created, and run, in a similar vein. HOT’s Lauris Morgan-Griffiths wondered how the experience was for a few of this year’s curators of the PhotoHastings Festival exhibitions; Gary Willis and Derek Cottrell as well as veteran curator Andrew Moran, co-founder of the group.
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Hastings Jews for Justice is to co-host, together with St Leonards Concerts, a concert for the people of Gaza in which Max Baillie and fellow musicians will play Beethoven’s string quartet Opus 132. All proceeds will go to Medical Aid for Palestinians. Felicity Laurence explains the background.
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In May local community benefit society Energise Sussex Coast (ESC) helped the Tilling Green Community Centre in Rye to install fifty-two 450W solar panels on its roof. A second installation in Rye – this time on the roof of Chapman’s Fisheries – should be taking place soon. Energise Sussex Coast’s Gabriel Carlyle reports.
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This season, Hastings White Rock will host a star-studded festival of music, comedy,and family fun. From legendary performers to fresh new voices, side-splitting comedy, and magical festive moments, audiences are in for an unforgettable celebration. This from the White Rock publicity dept.
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Councils across Sussex have made their choice of preferred unitary authorities under the local government reorganisation process, with Hastings Borough Council deciding to put forward all three options it has been considering. It also voted to request that the mayoral elections due next May be postponed, having already asked the same for next year’s local elections. Report by Nick Terdre, research and graphics by Russell Hall.
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On Saturday 13 September, local people braved damp weather to attend the 3rd Drone Against Drones. Aimed at highlighting the harm done to civilians by armed drones, the event was first held in 2014 and – with the increased use of militarised drones in the years since – has only become more relevant. John Enefer reports.
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Jazz Hastings October session will feature the welcome return of one of Hastings’ best loved artists, Liane Carroll, who will be performing with her trio on Tuesday 7 October. Julian Norridge writes.
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Jude Montague from Resonance FM talks to Sam Dook from Lifesize CiC about a creative project to reimagine history in Hastings and Folkestone for radio.
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