Hastings Arts Forum

The converted Victorian building on the seafront in Saint Leonards houses a working arts centre that actually feels like artists use it, not just a gallery that happens to have a gift shop. You'll find rotating exhibitions across two floors - mostly contemporary work from regional practitioners, but they mix in established names too. The ground floor is free to wander, though the upper galleries sometimes charge a small fee depending on the show.

It's worth an hour if you're already in Saint Leonards, though don't expect the scale of the South Coast's bigger museums. What you get instead is something more honest - proper artist studios upstairs where you can watch people actually working, and a café that doesn't overcharge. Families with older kids might appreciate the workshops they run during school holidays; younger ones will get bored quickly without something structured on.

Wednesday to Sunday, 11am to 5pm. Check ahead what's showing because the exhibitions change regularly and some are stronger than others. It sits just off the seafront, so you can easily combine it with a coastal walk before heading to one of the holiday parks nearby - Combe Haven is barely a mile away if you're staying put for the week. The real appeal here is that it keeps the local art scene ticking over without any pretension. Not a blockbuster destination, but genuinely useful if you're based in the area.