Last year’s Coastal Currents Arts Festival really left its mark on Bexhill – literally! – with a fantastic mural in Wickham Road. Exhibitions, open studios, and much more kept creativity popping up all along the coast between Hastings, Rye, St Leonards, Bexhill and Eastbourne.
Bexhill Museum contributed time and resources to last year’s festival to run a special workshop with 2019 Museum Artist-in-Residence Leah Fusco. She and curator Julian Porter worked with a score of participants on a day inspired by the ‘lost village’ of Northeye, north-west of the town.
We also supported artist James Byford, Bexhill primary schools and the College, who created a unique flock of birds from single-use plastic bottles. Later hung from the Museum ceiling, the display made for a remarkable statement on how plastics are impacting our environment.
The Museum would really like to contribute again this September. We have lots of ideas – a public event, plus something digital, probably on an environmental theme, certainly connected to Bexhill-on-Sea – if the festival comes back.
Festivals need organising, promoting and equipping, and for all the practical support the Museum and others can offer, there’ll always be a need for a little hard cash. So festival producer Tina Morris is seeking public funding, built on public interest and public support.
“Crowdfunding is always tough going,” says Tina, “but I know I can still have faith that CC supporters will come good with the next £2k to hit the total.” But the best chance of doing just that is to spread the word and create a huge chain of awareness.
So do show your interest and support and find a few pounds to support the Festival. More than £3,000 has already been raised towards a £5,000 target. Tina will ask public funders and sponsors to match your donations, so do give as much as you can to the Coastal Currents Crowdfunding page.
