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‘Seeing by Wireless’: Spirit of Invention Festival plans for 2024

John Logie Baird was inventing ‘seeing by wireless’ or television here in Hastings 100 years ago. In 1923 and 1924 he was living on the south coast and developing experiments, with some success, here in the town. Jude Montague writes about plans for 2024 to be collectively inspired by his spirit of invention.

I previously wrote a piece about some of the significant places for the Hastings Independent Press which can be accessed here.

For 2024 we have plans to commemorate his activity here with events to celebrate invention and ingenuity in the town. Working in conjunction with venues and organisations locally there are already some events inked in for next year. They include:

7 – 13 May      Spirit of Invention exhibition at Electro Studios Project Space

24 – 25 May    A Weekend with John Logie Baird at the Hastings Museum and Art Gallery

June                TV Festival at Electric Palace cinema.

The Electric Palace television festival will include a visit from Paul Kerensa who has been carrying out a history of one hundred years of the BBC. Paul and I will revisit the debate between these two important forces in the development of media in the UK and uncover stories that will surprise and shock. Willy Stax and Montague Armstrong are making a new documentary specially for the festival.

There are other plans afoot, including a Logie Baird musical and a play aimed at school audiences. There’s plenty of room for different versions of his story and multiple authors are already involved. Primarily, the 2024 activities will be inspired by what he did 100 years ago in this town.

Stooky Bill and the Baird Televisor

If you would like to offer an event and a contribution to the town’s festival, you can go-ahead independently or join in this collaborative campaign. A Curious Agenda with Montague Armstrong on 15 Kings Road, St Leonards-on-Sea, will be co-ordinating events because they are curious about technology, invention and Hastings history.

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