CSCape Art

The first thing that strikes you about CSCape Art is how seriously it takes contemporary work without any of the stuffiness you'd expect. Located in Hartlepool, it's a gallery that actually gives space to artists doing something interesting right now, rather than retreading the same tired retrospectives.

You're looking at rotating exhibitions featuring painting, sculpture, installation and mixed media. The scale is intimate enough that you won't spend your entire afternoon there, which means it works brilliantly as part of a broader day out rather than a standalone pilgrimage. Expect to give it 45 minutes to an hour, maybe longer if something really grabs you.

For art-minded visitors staying at Parkdean Resorts Crimdon Dene Holiday Park just south of Hartlepool, this is worth the short drive into town. It won't entertain kids for hours, but teenagers interested in contemporary practice will actually engage with what's on show. Parents after culture beyond the theme park will appreciate the quality without the tourist fatigue.

Hartlepool itself has enough going on - waterfront walks, the Maritime Museum - that you can build a proper half-day around visiting CSCape Art. The gallery feels like a genuine part of the local arts scene rather than a box-ticking exercise for visitors, which is exactly what makes it worth seeking out.