Arty breaks in Eastbourne

Art lovers and creative visitors can discover a haven of exhibitions and events in Eastbourne this spring including a Dark Weekend at the resort’s award-winning Towner Gallery and the return of the Eastbourne Festival.

The packed season ahead kicks off on the first weekend of March with a themed weekend at Towner, the new contemporary art museum for the South East, based on The Dark Monarch exhibition that is currently on display. The Dark Weekend from 5-7 March offers visitors the chance to unleash their dark side with a series of screenings, talks, workshops and even a young people’s disco, inspired by the world of mystery, myth and the supernatural. From The Dark Screening showing Séance on a Wet Afternoon and The Wicker Man to The Dark Silent Disco where the club phenomenon sweeping the country comes to Eastbourne, Towner will be a hive of activity.

The Dark Monarch exhibition will continue until 21 March, so there are still a few weeks left to see this magical show, which features some of the most important British artists of the last 100 years – including Graham Sutherland, John Piper and Damien Hirst.

Eastbourne Borough Council Cabinet Member for Tourism, Cllr Susan Morris said “We have some fantastic art and cultural events coming up in Eastbourne over the next couple of months that offer a brilliant way for visitors to spend their time here during the milder weather. Not only do we have plenty to look forward to at Towner, but many other galleries in Eastbourne are also hosting a range of interesting exhibitions. With the Eastbourne Festival coming up in April too, including the return of the popular Artists’ Open Houses, there are many ways for visitors to discover their arty side on the south coast and even take home a unique piece of Eastbourne art too!”

The first weekend of March also welcomes the opening of ‘Charles Bartlett – Etchings from His Studio’ at the Emma Mason Gallery. The free exhibition running until 27 March showcases etchings made by Bartlett between the late 1960s and 1980s and is his second solo exhibition in the town, after first exhibiting at the former Towner Art Gallery back in 1956! Bartlett, now 88, is returning to Eastbourne to open the exhibition himself.

Elsewhere in Eastbourne, Henry Paddon’s Spring Exhibition opens on 6 March promising driftwood sculpture and furniture by Terry Warren and fine art photography by Karl Andre Terblanche, while Viewpoint Art Gallery hosts original artwork as well as collections by artists such as Doug Hyde.

April promises a busy month too with the third annual Eastbourne Festival taking place from 3-25 April, a celebration of arts, culture and entertainment in the south coast resort. As well as various venues around the town hosting different events, including a Marshmellow Night Art Trail and Boudoir Burlesque, the Artists’ Open Houses will return offering visitors and residents the chance to view and buy locally produced artwork from the local artists themselves.

With Eastbourne’s hotels and guesthouses offering tempting rates for the spring months ahead, including 3 nights for the price of 2, ideal for a weekend getaway, visitors can plan their own itinerary to take advantage of the exhibitions and art on display.

For more information on what’s on in Eastbourne and to view special offers at accommodation visit: visiteastbourne.com