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Let’s Do Business – an invitation to scare the Suits!

Each year FAT Promotions take part in the Let’s Do Business exhibition in Hastings, which showcases local business talent. This year, rather than promoting the usual commercial talent – ‘the suits’ if you like – they’d like to show the suits what a crazy creative bunch we have here in Hastings, by inviting you to participate in a street art/traditional illustration/digital art happening, writes HOT’s Chris Cormack.

So, instead of the usual ‘come and buy a website’ stand at this year’s exhibition, Fat Promotions are turning their stand into an interactive public art space and encouraging everyone there – visitors, competitors, local artists, students – to come and make their mark by tagging one of the original illustrations of local Hastings landmarks, adding their own creative spin however they wish.

This event is entirely inspired by the stunning collaborative Street Artwork of John Dolan and his book John & George; the concept of his work bringing different art worlds together really captures the imagination and so why not put together a similar thing down here in Hastings? Our town doesn’t have the best reputation nationally and we do have a lot of problems with unemployment, homelessness and addictions – and yet we have a huge thriving artistic community, proving once again how creativity can grow from adversity.

The twist will be to fuse this physical artwork with FAT’s digital creative side by streaming the artwork live across the internet, asking participants to Tweet their creation with #TagHastings – then the original artwork gets WIPED. Gone. Except that we all know, in this digitised world, nothing is ever truly gone and in effect their creation will always be drifting its way across the ether somewhere.

The concept is to fuse the worlds of illustrative art, street art and digital art – while trying to communicate that however much some believe the world of technology has cheapened or diluted traditional methods of creating works of art, in truth it can enhance these by ensuring no creation is ever truly lost.

And it’s going to be shedloads of fun, say FAT!

Of course FAT are hoping this generates a bunch of publicity for their company, so they can offer more jobs to creatives – but FAT says that’s not the main driver here, not by a long way. They want to see their town, Hastings, plastered all over the internet in a positive, creative and innovative way and they invite local artists and everyone to come and take part’ the more the merrier, and that includes the Jerwood Gallery, whence FAT was also inspired at their  #JerwoodDrawingFestival.

So spread the word about #TagHastings and get everyone having a go – especially those who think they “can’t draw”!

To participate, go to Sussex Coast College (right beside the train station) Station Approach, Hastings TN34 1BA THIS Thursday – 30 October 2014 between 10am and 4pm and you’ll be more than welcome on Stand 74. FAT Promotions will bring the pens!

Also in: Community Arts