The Artists Marketplace

The Artists Marketplace in Hastings is exactly what it sounds like - a working gallery where local painters, sculptors and craftspeople actually sell their work from their own studio spaces. You wander through and catch artists at their benches mid-creation, which beats standing in front of a painting in some hushed white-box gallery wondering what it all means.

What you get is proper creative energy. One minute you're watching someone throw clay, the next you're chatting to a printmaker about their latest series. There's no velvet rope nonsense, no pretension. The work ranges from genuinely excellent to wildly experimental, and honestly, that's part of the appeal. You're not being sold a curated narrative - you're seeing what people actually make.

It works best if you're comfortable poking about for an hour or so without a rigid plan. Families with older kids will enjoy it more than toddlers, and anyone who sketches or makes things themselves will find it properly inspiring. The atmosphere changes depending on who's working that day, so you might walk in on a quiet afternoon or stumble into something buzzing.

Since it's in Hastings, you're well-positioned for the seafront and the old town's independent shops. If you're staying at Seven Acre Woods just outside town, it's an easy trip in - 15 minutes maximum. Go when you've got time to linger rather than rushing between attractions. Don't expect gallery opening hours posted online; ringing ahead is sensible.