Hastings Contemporary: Council accepts gift of award-winning gallery

Hastings Borough Council voted unanimously to accept the the seafront gallery.

A seaside town has formally accepted the gift of a local award-winning art gallery by a charity.

Hastings Borough Council's cabinet voted unanimously to take ownership of Hastings Contemporary.

Previous owners, the Jerwood Foundation, had previously said the donation was "for the benefit and wellbeing" of the resort and East Sussex.

The gallery will continue to be run by its local management.

The Hastings Contemporary, which cost £5m to build, opened on The Stade in Hastings Old Town as the Jerwood gallery in 2012 before being renamed seven years later.

It has won several prestigious architectural awards, including a RIBA national award and a Civic Trust accolade.

Council spokesman Kevin Boorman said: "We think this is fantastic. It's an iconic building. It's an incredible deal."

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