As we look forward to planning this year’s Coastal Currents festival we do so in the light of lessons learnt from last year and on-going research into how and where we market ourselves.
Last year’s festival continued the upward trend of visitor numbers with around 21% coming from outside the area. In all, we estimate that more than 46,000 people saw at least one of the many 460 artists and performers.
Must be costing us a fortune I here you say, well yes and no, Coastal Currents received £36,500 from Hastings Borough Council’s Arts Development department, but it brought in more than £143,243 in funding from diverse sources, almost a four fold increase in its investment.
While I personally don’t believe that you can, or indeed should, put a price on the value of art and culture, it’s good to see that the arts can pay their way with a little helping hand.
But the festival does more than just provide employment for artists and entertain thousands; it also contributes to the re-imaging of Hastings, a valuable tool in the redevelopment of the area. We continually market to Brighton, London and Tunbridge Wells sending out thousands of positive images of Hastings and St Leonards. Hastings has the buzz of a happening place and slowly but surely the secret is getting out.
This year’s festival is fast approaching and already artists are firing off ideas to beguile, surprise and entertain and hopefully we will see you all in September.
Coastal Currents 2005 is now seeking submissions for this year’s Open Studios. If you are a practising artists living or working in Hastings, Rye or Bexhill then get in touch with John Knowles on 01424 717464 or by e-mail at coastalcurrents@hastings.gov.uk or drop into the information centre in Queens Road to pick up a submission form.
Free-range meat and poultry, seasonal fruit and vegetables, cheeses, breads, smoked fish, home-made cakes, pies and pastries, preserves... high quality produce, much of it locally produced, and it’s all available at our very own farmers market!
Often pesticide-free, free-range or organic, food from farmers markets is better for the environment, and supporting your local farmers and producers not only means a reduction in air pollution and traffic congestion caused by long-distance transportation of goods, but also helps maintain the local economy by assuring employment and local reinvestment.
Here in Hastings, Wellington Place is the venue for the regular monthly farmers market, where a wide variety of local stallholders give you the opportunity to buy wholesome, fresh and healthy produce at reasonable cost. Open between 9am and 2pm, on the second Thursday of every month, you can buy a whole range of good quality, local goods direct from the producers themselves.
Hastings Farmers Market has been set up by the Five a Day Programme, with the support of Hastings Borough Council and Hastings Town Centre Management, and the next dates are April 14, May 12, June 9 and July 14.
For further information about farmers markets, please contact Maresa Bossano, Five- a- Day Programme, Hastings and St Leonards PCT, PO Box 124, St Leonards on Sea, TN38 9WH, tel: 01424 457109 or e-mail: maresa.bossano@hs-pct.nhs.uk
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This page last updated: 08/04/2005