Focus on future of our local art

This event was the result of a review undertaken by the trustees where they re-examined their core aims and objectives and took soundings from current members from which they developed a three year business plan to ensure financial sustainability into the future.

The event was opened by Liz Gilmore, director of the Jerwood Gallery, who talked about the local rich artistic heritage and the current cultural life of the area, acknowledging the part Hastings Arts Forum plays within the community, offering local artists the opportunity to showcase and promote their work and offering the local community another venue to access art.

Christine M’Baye, chairman of The Forum, then took the audience through the plans, the enhanced membership offer, the events being planned for the future and the new branding and website that have been developed.

The highlight of the evening was an interview with artist Alan Rankle, whose work is currently being exhibited in both Berlin and Milan, by author and journalist Judy Parkinson. The discussion was illustrated by Alan’s work on a large screen and focused on his own journey through what has influenced the development of his work and how he continued developing his skills and styles through exploring different techniques and learning from various, less conventional sources.

Asked by Parkinson about the relevance of his art to the debate on global warming, Rankle stated that it was impossible to be a painter of landscapes in modern times without engaging in the politics of the environmental crisis and he first became aware of the extent of the situation when seeing the early effects of acid rain on the forests of Scandinavia in the 1980’s. Alan Rankle and Judy Parkinson have collaborated on the production of a book about a project in Venice due to be published in March this year.

Christine M’Baye said: “Anyone interested in becoming a member or would like to volunteer can either pop in to the Gallery at Hastings Arts Forum and talk to a member of our team or contact us via email: [email protected]. I would encourage everyone wanting to find out more to take a look at our new website: www.hastingsartsforum.co.uk “