Race is on to raise funds to save popular Coastal Currents art festival in Hastings and Rother

A month long festival which sees stunning artworks springing up in the local community may not happen on the same scale this year unless funding can be sourced.
Public art, Queens Rd. Coastal Currents Arts Festival. September 2018. Hastings, East Sussex UK. SUS-190116-173806001Public art, Queens Rd. Coastal Currents Arts Festival. September 2018. Hastings, East Sussex UK. SUS-190116-173806001
Public art, Queens Rd. Coastal Currents Arts Festival. September 2018. Hastings, East Sussex UK. SUS-190116-173806001

Coastal Currents takes place in September each year and was partly funded by Hastings Borough Council, but cut-backs led to the council having to withdraw funding last year.

A partnership with the De La Warr Pavilion, in Bexhill, and support and funding from local people, saw Coastal Currents happen in 2019 with a host of exhibitions, events and open studios, as well as some beautiful large scale wall murals springing up in Hastings and Bexhill.

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In fact, last year the festival was registered in the top 100 in the Street Art 360 Magazine poll of best pieces of street art worldwide, putting Hastings and Bexhill on a par with Copenhagen and Rio.

Organiser Tina Morris has launched a crowd funding bid. She said: “Firstly, thanks to everyone who helped make Coastal Currents 2019 happen. It was a battle of wills at times and I am so thankful to everyone who helped contribute in tiny ways right up to those that stepped up and helped financially.

“However, it was also an uphill struggle to kick-start the faith in finding the cash, and the only way we could move forward with confidence was the crowdfunder and our generous supporters.

“This allowed us to leverage other funding against it and just about squeeze enough out of many different supporters to put on the festival you saw happen.

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“So many people worked so hard, as they love what the Festival does and what it stands for.

“In order to present a Curated Programme in 2020, we need to raise the first £5k through crowdfunding. If we can meet the £5k like last year, we can start this crazy wheel turning again.

“We are acting as if it is on the cards, but nothing can happen without some funding.

“So help us make Coastal Currents Arts Festival 2020 a reality. Share the 2020 fundraiser as we need the full £5k before March.”

Details of the crowdfunding can be found at gofundme.com/coastal-currents-2020.