Four artists shortlisted for the Hastings Town Centre Public Realm Art Commission
We are pleased to provide an update on the Hastings Town Centre Public Art Commission, part of the wider Hastings Public Realm and Green Connections Project.
East Sussex County Council, Hastings Borough Council, and Hastings Museum & Art Gallery are working together to commission an artist whose work will contribute to the long-term vision of revitalising Hastings town centre through green infrastructure and creative placemaking. This collaboration marks an important step forward in bringing new creative energy and community engagement to the heart of Hastings.
As part of this vision, an open call for artists was undertaken to submit expressions of interest to collaborate on a new public art commission. The response was exceptional, with a high volume of thoughtful, imaginative, and community-focused submissions.
We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all applicants for their time, creativity, and passion.
Four Artists Shortlisted
Following the evaluation process, led by the team at Hastings Museum & Art Gallery, four artists have now been shortlisted to progress to the next stage of the commissioning process. Submissions were assessed based on artistic quality, alignment with the project’s aims, approach to community engagement, and potential to integrate with the wider public realm design.
The panel comprised:
Asten Holmes-Elliott, Learning and Engagement Officer at Hastings Museum & Art Gallery
Kate Adams, Director & CEO of Project Art Works, a collective of neurodiverse artists and activists co-founded by Kate in 1997
Katy Baird, Artistic Director of Home Live Art, an organisation supporting bold performance and community-led projects in Hastings
Nicole Tarrio, Associate Landscape Architect at Arup, the appointed design consultants for the entire Town Centre Public Realm and Green Connections project
Will Sandy, landscape architect and environmentally focused designer involved with the Hastings Garden Town project, which inspired the Town Centre Public Realm and Green Connections initiative
What’s Next?
The shortlisted artists will now enter a development phase running from 7 July to 12 September 2025, during which they will:
Participate in a group introductory session with Arup, the project’s design consultants, and representatives from the council and Hastings Museum & Art Gallery (HMAG)
Engage in one-on-one sessions with Arup to explore and refine their ideas
Independently develop their concept proposals, supported by a £1,500 honorarium
Present their proposals and budgets to the HMAG Community Panel, whose feedback will help inform a recommendation to the selection panel
Based on this process, one artist or artist collective will be appointed on 16 September to continue developing their design in collaboration with Arup. Construction is expected to begin in Spring 2026.
A Community-Centred Vision
This commission is more than a standalone artwork, it’s an opportunity to embed creativity, identity, and joy into the evolving landscape of Hastings town centre. The selected artist will work closely with Arup and the local community to ensure the final piece reflects the unique spirit and heritage of Hastings while enhancing the experience of public space for residents, businesses, and visitors alike.
Cllr Julia Hilton, Deputy Leader of Hastings Borough Council, said: “I am really impressed with the quality of the artists selected. It is really important that artists are funded for concept design work and that the ideas are embedded into the whole design process. I look forward to seeing the proposals from the four artists before the selection panel finally chooses one artist to work with the community and the design team to come up with imaginative designs that invite curiosity and joy into our town centre.”
Stay Connected
More information and future updates, including the announcement of the appointed artist will be announced here in due course and you can visit the Town Centre Public Realm & Green Connections — Hastings Town Deal page for regular updates on the project.
We look forward to sharing more as this exciting project continues to unfold.