Coding Driftwood, an installation by Rotterdam artist Maurice Meewisse opened at The SPACE on 25 July & will remain on site until mid September. During July, Meewisse collected driftwood from the beach in Hastings, St Leonards, Little Galley Hill & Cooden Beach as well as using sections of groynes from the Environment Agency. With a set of self-made branding irons in the shape of letters, Meewisse marked each piece of wood with data on it's source, possible type & origin.
Aiming to de-romanticise driftwood, Meewisse's intervention addresses methodology, classification & discipline.

The launch of 'A smoke absorber shaped like an OWLL' took place at The Roomz on Wednesday 25 June 2014. It was an opportunity to celebrate the work produced in the four workshops led by Jaye Ho and Baron Mordant in collaboration with OWLLs. The event was attended by the Mayor of Hastings Cllr Bruce Dowling, Deputy Mayor Judy Rogers, Cllr Jeremy Birch, Leader of the Council, Cllr Kim Forward & Cllr Trevor Webb. Jaye Ho created a series of black & white portraits of the OWLLs (Older, Wiser, Loving Life) & Baron Mordant produced 'A smoke absorber shaped like an OWLL'  a new sound piece which combined the OWLLs selected sounds with the artist's adaptations. Both the photographs & sound piece can be accessed at The Roomz through 27 July.

Cllr Trevor Webb & David Merryfield



Cllr Jeremy Birch meets the OWLLs

Rotterdam artist Niels Post has two text based installations in St Leonards which can be seen through mid-June 2014. 'On Spam, Lectori Salutem #2' is located in The SPACE on St Johns Road & is a new work which continues Post's interest in appropriating spam messages & transforming them into accessible & thought-provoking pieces. The other installation 'On Spam, Comment Spam #20 can be found on one of the boarded-up spaces on Bottle Alley, St Leonards' lower promenade. Both works are popular with local residents/passers-by & encourage conversations about art in empty sites.
Post's work is supported by Centrum Beeldende Kunst (CBK) Rotterdam.

 

Tempo Arts Ltd has recently received funding from the Community Partnership Fund Small Grant Programme to continue arts-led workshops at The Roomz in St Leonards for the participants of the Dementia Support Group - The OWLLS.
On 16 April, Hastings artists Jaye Ho & Ian Hicks led the first workshop for ten OWLLS & three carers. The artists introduced & discussed the activities which will centre on drawing, sound making & music - all of which will be shaped by the OWLLS' comments & ideas. Three more sessions & an exhibition will follow.

'St Leonards Foundary', Colin Priest's place-specific work opened on 15 March & is attracting attention from local residents & passers-by. Colin Priest & Christine Francis, Burtons' St Leonards Society were 'in conversation' on Saturday 22 March at St Leonards Parish Church discussing 'St Leonards Foundary' & its links to the architectural heritage of St Leonards.
'St Leonards Foundary is supported byThe National Lottery through Arts Council England's Grants for the Arts programme, Hastings and St Leonards Foreshore Charitable Trust, Community First through the Community Development Foundation & University for the Arts London. 

Tempo Arts has recently been awarded funding from Hastings and St Leonards Foreshore Charitable Trust to expand on their programme of temporary visual arts projects and community events in St Leonards. Christine Gist, director of Tempo Arts and artist/curator will work with artists on new projects in The SPACE which link to St Leonards' seafront and other areas of the town.
The first project in the 2014 series is 'St Leonards Foundary', a place-specific temporary work by Colin Priest, a London-based artist, architect and educator. His project will run from 13 March through 13 April. The launch event is Saturday 15 March from 12.00-2.00.

Tempo Arts also has a new logo designed by artist Sharon Haward.

                                         

From 23.10-20.11.13 supported by The Seedcorn Fund through Sussex Community Foundation, Hastings artist Jaye Ho has been running a series of workshops for members of The Dementia Support Group which meets every Wednesday at The Roomz, Western Road, St Leonards. Their day includes storytelling, music/song, group activities & lunch. Jaye has focused on memory & art, using the groups' experiences of World War II to develop innovative & challenging activities for the members.

Jaye Ho & members of The Dementia Support Group