Coastal Currents logo in the 2023 colourway

Coastal Currents is almost upon us!

It’s that time of year again, as they say, and the Hastings calendar wouldn’t be complete without Coastal Currents arts festival. Alongside the open studios there are many curiosities, events and fringe activities. Here is their press release…

Coastal Currents 2023 is almost upon is and this year we have done it entirely without Arts Council funding, so firstly thanks must go out to our biggest supporters, Love Hastings, the blackShed Gallery, East Sussex College Hastings and all the other lovely advertisers and Open Studios participants who have helped make this happen.

Director of the Festival, Tina Morris, who has now kept the festival afloat since Hastings Borough Council funding ended in 2017 and first got involved way back in 2011, says:

“Truly a festival of the town in 2023, we are so thankful to still be here through pure community support, but this is unsustainable, so we also know we have to look at other ways to keep this festival alive, including donating to our crucial crowdfunder. We want to see this festival return year after year as it is vital to supporting the local creative economy. I will keep putting in my energy and passion but you all need to too!”

Tina, who is also co-chair of 1066 Music City for her creation of community music project Audiotrope, alongside Hannah Deeble from Fat Tuesday, has incorporated all of these elements into the Opening Party for the festival this year: a free celebration of music and art which welcomes everyone on Friday 1 September.

Happening this year at The Pig, Grand Parade, and kicking off at 8pm, this will be a chance to hear some great local live music as well as some networking. Bar Open (free fizz for the lucky first few). The line-up includes Lucas the Peaceful Poet, Message from the Ravens, Chimer (acoustic), Reshad & Friends, Bad Pedestrian, Fluorescent and, just back from supporting Greentea Peng, we have Kid Cruise headlining.

If you are an interested music industry professional from the area you might want to join us on the same night but from 7pm, when we have the official 1066 Music City networking event.

All free, and everyone welcome.

Come to Electro Studios Project Space on Thursday 31 August from 7pm for the launch of the Nereids exhibition by local photographer Caitlin Lock upstairs and Radiant Objects, a multi artist exhibition curated by Sharon Haward featuring sculptures, painting and photography, downstairs. The show itself runs from 31 August to 3 September and features artists including Annabel Tilley, Ben Browton and Laura Asselborn.

Another unmissable show is the launch of Folde at the Observer Building on Cambridge Road, an exhibition showing contemporary works exploring clay and curated by Rowan Corkill and including a host of incredible local artists including Martin Brockman, Rosalind Farem, Carla Wright and more. This launches on Friday 8 September at 6pm and the show itself runs from 7 to 11 September, so get it in your diary quick.

Open Studios happen on the 2/3 and 9/10 September across the region. We have an interactive map on our website or you can pick up one of our aubergine and neon brochures found in most galleries and independent shops. Support local by visiting the studios, buying a piece, commissioning something you’ve always wanted or even just engaging with the artists themselves. Our creative economy needs you and this is why Coastal Currents exists, to celebrate this unique coast’s creativity and to keep our artists earning a crust!

Watch out for other street-level interventions, especially the Coastal Currents supported ESRA exhibition which will appear on Hastings streets in the coming weeks. ESRA – East Sussex Recovery Alliance – does valuable work locally, supporting those recovering from addiction.

Another pick of the festival is a sound installation by artists Pat Jamieson and Carol Laidler found in a seafront shelter on De La Warr Parade throughout the festival from 10am to 6pm.

There are events and exhibitions in the brochure, right through to mid October, so go grab yourself a copy or download one on our homepage.

Also in: Festivals