Coastal Culture Trail, East Sussex 18/19/20 October 2013
The De La Warr Pavilion, Jerwood Gallery, and Towner – three of the most exciting visual arts galleries in the UK - have joined forces to create a cultural trail which promises a fabulous weekend of great art, great food and the great outdoors. The three award-winning galleries share a stunning 20 mile stretch of East Sussex coastline, which - less than 90 minutes from London - is the perfect destination for a weekend getaway.
Following the success of the launch of the Coastal Culture Trail in June this year, the galleries will be running a second autumn Coastal Culture Trail from the 18-20 October, during which there will be a variety of special events taking place across the three galleries. Below is a suggested itinerary; however, visitors are encouraged to create their own itineraries from the ‘What’s On?’ section.
Friday 18 October
Spend the evening at the Jerwood Gallery, Hastings for a night of art and gourmet food. Exclusive after-hours access to the galleries will allow visitors to browse the permanent collection of 20th and 21st century British art, as well as the exhibition of monumental abstract painting by Basil Beattie, before enjoying a meal in the first floor café, overlooking Hastings’ fishing beach. The supper will be freshly prepared by Webbe’s chefs using locally sourced ingredients.
Jerwood Gallery, Hastings © Ioana Marinescu Saturday 19 October
Enjoy wandering the historic streets of Hastings’ picturesque Old Town. There are a number of excellent quirky boutiques and cafés and the antique shops are a great place to pick up a bargain. Test your skills on one of the crazy golf courses on the seafront or take Hastings funicular railway to the East Hill and enjoy the views over the town and sea. If you are staying in Hastings for the evening, join in with the local bonfire celebrations. The spectacular torch-lit procession, starting from The Stade, commemorates the Battle of Hastings and the gunpowder plot and ends with a bonfire and firework display. http://www.hbbs.info/
From Hastings you can take a 10 minute train journey to Bexhill. Alternatively, rent a bike and enjoy the coastal cycle route, which runs from Hastings to Bexhill. www.bexhillbicycle.com
Join a free tour around the De La Warr Pavilion and find out more about the history of this iconic modernist building. After a bite to eat in the Pavilion’s café, visit the Universal Addressability of Dumb Things exhibition, curated by Turner Prize-winning artist, Mark Leckey. This is the final weekend of the exhibition which explores the magical world of new technology, and traces its connections to the beliefs of our distant past. You can join in the free afternoon workshop with writer, Christine Harmar-Brown, who will be using annotation to question what and how we see everyday objects. Alternatively, take a walk on Bexhill’s new contemporary seafront or browse the independent shops for vintage bargains and gifts. If you are staying the night, or coming back on Sunday, you can visit a local arts and crafts fair at the Sackville Hotel.
De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill Sunday 20 October
Take the short train journey to Eastbourne (15 minutes from Bexhill or 25 minutes from Hastings) and experience Towner’s mix of traditional and cutting edge contemporary art. Don’t miss the immersive installation exhibition by Japanese performance and installation artist Chiharu Shiota. Then head to the Collection Gallery for a display from Towner’s renowned collection of nearly 5,000 historic, modern and contemporary works – featuring artists such as Christopher Wood, Edward Bawden and David Bomberg. Join a free Towner tour and find out more about the architecture and the history of the gallery.
Towner sits at the foot of the South Downs National Park so, after taking in the striking views of the Downs from Towner’s café bar, why not round off the weekend with a walk in some of the South’s most beautiful countryside? From Eastbourne it is a short journey to Beachy Head, the Long Man of Wilmington and the Cuckmere Valley – areas of outstanding natural beauty which have inspired many of Britain’s most celebrated artists.
Towner, Eastbourne
What’s On?
Exhibitions
Turner Prize-winning artist Mark Leckey has curated an exhibition that explores the magical world of new technology, as well as tracing its connections to the beliefs of our Universal Addressability of Until Sun 20 Oct De La Warr distant past. Historical and Dumb Things 2013 Pavilion contemporary works of art, videos, machines, archaeological artefacts and iconic object inhabit an “enchanted landscape” created in the Pavilion's galleries, where objects seem to be communicating with each other and with us. Chiharu Shiota is a Japanese performance and installation artist 11 October 2013 best known for creating monumental Chiharu Shiota: Other Side Towner – 5 January 2014 yet delicate environments. Towner has commissioned Shiota to create an ambitious, immersive installation that will pervade our entire gallery space. This awe-inspiring exhibition, guest curated by the art historian and critic Mel Gooding, puts into focus Basil 12 October Beattie’s most recent work, largely Basil Beattie: Promises, Jerwood unseen. Beattie is celebrated for his 2013- 8 January Promises Gallery powerful, large scale abstract works 2014 in which he employs pictograms and spatial components, such as tunnels, steps and ladders, to explore the limits and possibilities of abstract pictorial space. Contextualising the Basil Beattie exhibition is a one room display of painting and lithographs by the 12 October American artist, Philip Guston (1913- Jerwood 1980). Beattie saw Philip Guston’s Philip Guston 2013- 8 January Gallery Whitechapel show in 1962 and was 2014 later strongly influenced by his work. The lithographs on display are from a series of 25 prints and are a lasting testament to Guston’s fascination with line and the act of drawing. This Tate-touring exhibition features 12 October – 23 Jerwood a group of important works by Marlow Moss Marlow Moss (1889-1958), now April 2014 Gallery regarded as one of Britain’s most important Constructivist artists.
Events
Friday 18 Learn about the building and its award- October, winning architecture on this free tour and Building Tour Towner 11.30am/2.00pm, have a brief look in Towner’s Collection free store, which houses over 4000 works.
Spend the evening at the Jerwood Gallery for a night of art and gourmet food. Exclusive after-hours access to the galleries will allow visitors to browse the Friday 18 Jerwood Collection as well as our Jerwood Gallery October, £30 per Jerwood exhibitions before enjoying a meal in the Supper Club head (includes Gallery first floor café, overlooking Hastings’ gallery admission) fishing beach.
Full payment must be made on booking. To book, please call 01424 751137.
Saturday 19 Learn about the building and its award- October, winning architecture on this free tour and Building Tour Towner 11.30am/2.00pm, have a brief look in Towner’s Collection free store, which houses over 4,000 works.
Enjoy a tour of the De La Warr Pavilion Saturday 19 De La Warr and learn the stories behind the creation Pavilion Tour October 12 noon, Pavilion and restoration of this much loved and free internationally important building.
Join writer Christine Harmar-Brown for a free interactive workshop. Using annotation we will question what and how we see everyday objects and the Saturday 19 stories attached to them. Christine will be De La Warr Acts of Annotation October 1-4pm, looking in the non-gallery spaces for Pavilion free items to annotate – she might even use your handbag!
Booking required, to book call 01424 229 111.
As part of the Family Arts Festival, De La Family Arts Festival Saturday 19 De La Warr Warr Pavilion will be hosting a special Screening of Brave October, 2pm, £4 Pavilion screening of the multi award-winning (PG) animated film, Brave.
Find out more about the award-winning Saturday 19 Jerwood architecture of the Jerwood Gallery, Architectural Tour October, 2pm, Gallery designed by HAT Projects in this special free on admission free building tour. Saturday 19 & The Jerwood Gallery children's trail uses Sunday 20 Jerwood drawing and problem solving to help Children's Trail October, free on Gallery children take a closer look at the works in admission our exhibition and collection.
Futuropolis is an imaginary city of the future. What might its buildings, parks, roads and bridges look like? Help us draw a gigantic map of Futuropolis, as we explore Sunday 20 Mapping Futuropolis De La Warr how cities grow in relation to the landscape October, 11am- around them. This all-day family drawing Family Workshop Pavilion 4pm, free and mapping event is part of the Family Festival. It will help to prepare us for the Big Draw at the end of the month, when a 3D Futuropolis will be built in the auditorium for everyone to draw on. Sunday 20 Find out more about the Jerwood Collection October, 2pm, Jerwood Collection Talk of 20th and 21st century British art in our free on Gallery series of free collection talks admission
Where to Eat
Bexhill
De La Warr Pavilion Café Bar http://www.dlwp.com/eat-and-drink/ Trattoria Italiana http://www.trattoriaitaliana.co.uk/
Eastbourne
Towner Café Bar– enjoy on our balcony with views over the Downs! http://www.townereastbourne.org.uk/about-us/visitor-information/cafe-bar/
Visit Grand Bocca, Eastbourne’s newest and hottest foodie destination, for dinner on Friday or Saturday evening
Hastings
Webbe’s at Jerwood - Jerwood Gallery’s café serves a range dishes, perfect for lunch or afternoon tea. The café’s supper clubs offer gourmet evening meals in the setting of the gallery, using the best local produce. http://www.jerwoodgallery.org/cafe
Webbe’s Rock-a-Nore – Just across the road to the Jerwood Gallery, this restaurant specialises in excellent and locally caught seafood. http://www.webbesrestaurants.co.uk/webbes-rock-a-nore/ There are a number of other great cafés and restaurants in Hastings Old Town, offering a wide variety of food, from fish and chips to fine dining.
Where to Stay
Bexhill
Buenoes Aires B&B www.buenosairesguesthouse.com
Coast B&B - www.coastbexhill.co.uk
Other lovely B&Bs can be found at www.dlwp.com/visit-us/staying-locally
Eastbourne
The Devonshire Park www.devonshire-park-hotel.co.uk
The Big Sleep - www.thebigsleephotel.com/home.asp?hotelid=4
Cavendish Hotel - www.cavendishhotel.co.uk
The Da Vinci Art Hotel - www.davinci.uk.com
The Grand - www.grandeastbourne.com
Hastings
Hastings House - www.hastingshouse.co.uk
The Old Rectory www.theoldrectoryweddingvenue.co.uk
Swan House – www.swanhousehastings.co.uk
The White Rock Hotel www.thewhiterockhotel.com
Zanzibar - www.zanzibarhotel.co.uk
Further information www.discoverbexhill.com www.visit1066country.com www.visiteastbourne.com
Notes to Editors:
De La Warr Pavilion www.dlwp.com
The Grade One Listed, Modernist De La Warr Pavilion is a centre for the contemporary arts which stands proudly overlooking Bexhill’s new seafront. Built in 1935 and restored in 2005, it has exhibitions in two galleries, top music and comedy acts and film programme in the auditorium , a café and bar with outside balconies and magnificent sea views, a large flat roof open-air space for exhibitions and events, and a shop selling designer accessories and gifts. Artists who have exhibited include Jeremy Deller, Antony Gormley, Richard Wilson and Andy Warhol and recent headline acts include Eddie Izzard, Keane, Patti Smith and Vampire Weekend . The Pavilion and its exhibitions are open 364 days a year, free to enter and accessible to all, with a busy learning programme for all ages to participate in. The Pavilion receives generous support from Arts Council England and Rother District Council.
Jerwood Gallery www.jerwoodgallery.org
The award winning Jerwood Gallery opened in March 2012. Designed by the young architectural practice HAT Projects, the Gallery houses the Jerwood Collection of 20th and 21st century art, along with a changing contemporary exhibitions programme. Previous exhibitions have included: a significant retrospective of painting and drawings by Rose Wylie; an exhibition of painting and sculpture by the YBA Gary Hume; a focus on Gillian Ayres’ monumental abstract paintings from the 1950s; and a selection of figure paintings by William Scott.
The Jerwood Collection features over 200 works of art by celebrated artists from the 20th century such as Sir Stanley Spencer RA, Lawrence Stephen Lowry RA, and Augustus John RA, alongside works from winners of the Jerwood Painting Prize such as Craigie Aitchison, RA, Maggi Hambling, Patrick Caulfield, RA and Prunella Clough.
The gallery is open Tuesday-Friday and bank holiday Mondays from 11 am – 5 pm, Saturday and Sunday 11 am-6 pm. Admission is £8 for adults, £3.50 for children (5-16 years) and £5.50 for concessions.
Towner www.townereastbourne.org.uk
Towner, Eastbourne’s award-winning new gallery which opened in April 2009, is the contemporary art museum for South East England. With 1,250m of display space, Towner boasts the largest gallery space in the South East region. Towner presents a unique programme of major exhibitions of contemporary and historic visual art alongside displays from the internationally renowned, 4000-strong Towner Collection.
The Towner Collection is best known for its modern British art – including the largest and most significant body of work by Eric Ravilious (1903-1942) – and a growing collection of international contemporary art.
Admission to Towner is free. There is also a gift shop and café bar, with stunning views over the South Downs. Summer opening hours are Tuesday – Sunday, and Bank Holiday Mondays, 10am – 6pm.
Towner is funded by Eastbourne Borough Council and Arts Council England.