jerwood mistake? or create?

[hanpet]

I was baffled to see on the news that for the Queens jubilee they are creating a picture of the Queen out of peoples photo's, and that it is to be displayed in Eastbourne's gallery, wouldn't that of been a good thing to promote the Jerwood,if we have to put up with this coffin above ground at least try to make it a success!!!! >:(

[Richard]

[quoted]
Alan Griffiths wrote:

My personal view is that it's in the wrong place and should never have been built in the Old Town. It's built and open now so we have to wait and see how long it takes to succeed or fail.
What angers me most about the Jerwood is the covenant that allows them to pay no business rates. That stinks. Another case of those who can afford to pay their taxes, paying far less, in this case nothing, than the existing businesses in the immediate area.
If it was all honest and above board and the gallery was seen to be paying its way, then I may change my find.
Fat chance of that happening.

[/quoted]

Can 'The Jerwood' Stade building complex be contained exactly "as is" or will it evolve?
I believe we are now firmly trapped "Between Scylla and Charybdis"

A) If 'The Jerwood' succeeds then it must attract many visitors, by definition, which means more congestion or a future land acquisition and growth to permit greater numbers of tourists.
B) If it begins to falter it will need to find fresh ways to attract more visitors - namely expansion (onto land in short supply in the Old Town)

Succeed or fail it all boils down to a likely future expansion in an area which will attract mass opposition and much more local protest than ever before
The Tate St. Ives (built on gasworks land unfit for normal use) went through a similar cycle of expansion to attract more trade and much local opposition was encountered.
8|

The Council badly wants to encourage something which it thinks will bring in many more tourists and so it will have a vested interest in propping up 'The Jerwood' at all costs in future and the preferential business rates (as already pointed out by Alan Griffiths) are an example of how determined thay are that it must succeed.
It is, therefore, only a question of time before the next step to growing the project is taken, after all the initial fuss has died down?

[brad_wrx]

I love the fact that they look down there noses at the local residents, I dont feel I would be accepted in there.

[Jonathan]

We finally got to see it a couple of days ago. Loved the buiildling, the windows, the views. Permanent collection has some great pictures, mostly well displayed. Shame they didn't have a more interesting temporary exhibition to kick the place off.

Big surprise was that they only open until 4 pm on weekdays. What's that about? Surely tourists will want to drop in at the end of a day on the beach?

I'd say GBP7 for admission is quite steep, though they do concessions as well as our cheapo GBP2 for local residents, much appreciated. Wouldn't call that 'looking down their noses' at local residents?

All in all, bravo to the Jerwoods, unpopular sentiment though that may be. Great to see someone who has made a lot of money doing something public-spirited with it.

[brad_wrx]

Thanks for your info on the Jerwood, i didnt mean for my comment to sound argressive, I did not know about a reduced rate for residents,

[Richard]

[quoted]
Jonathan wrote:

All in all, bravo to the Jerwoods, unpopular sentiment though that may be. Great to see someone who has made a lot of money doing something public-spirited with it.
[/quoted]

There are numerous independant charitable art foundations in Britain doing much the same sort of thing, some with a political slant.
I suspect there are many in Hastings who are seriously charitable themselves in their community, infact I know there are numerous local charities set up to help the poorer members of the town. (Muffin Club, Winkle Club)
Hence the arrival of a brand-spanking-new "uber wealthy" art repository next to a working beach may seem a tad flashy.
I mean it smacks of sheer elitism with undoubted generous funding to a lucky few in the visual arts.
It will be interesting to see if 'The Jerwood' is ever sold on to another organisation at a handsome profit (and yes! it's happened before)


8)

[Mymblesdaughter]

I had an interesting discussion with my OH when we were in the Jerwood cafe about the connection with Arts and the fishing community. It's a really interesting subject.

In Cornwall the fishing communities in places like Newlyn and St Ives were very close. Some poets and artists were actually fishermen. People like W S Graham and Wilfred Wallis. Some of the art in the Jerwood is actually from the St Ives and Newlyn schools.

[Richard]

you would expect to see a nod in the direction of local artists connected with the fishing community in such a location in Hastings.

How that in any way squares with job-losses by local businesses deprived of their coach loads of visitors to cafes and restaurants and fishmongers is yet to be related.

[Mymblesdaughter]

I saw a local business owner commenting about the Jerwood they said that there were more people around since the Jerwood opened and they had been busier and that the coaches were still dropping people in the town. So don't see how local business is going to be deprived.

[Richard]

I recognise this is going to be impossibly unscientific for each of us to argue about on the basis of local businesses who have varying experiences.

You favour the Jerwood and I do not.
The Jerwood has concessions like a charity to make even more money for their own ambitions to fund the Arts they favour and to get even wealthier.
I doubt they seek consensus on what they spend money on from outside the tight-knit group of Father, son and daughter Grieves.
They have power and influence and can demand concessions to grow their empire which local businesses cannot.

We did not need "regeneration" next to the Fishing Beach, it was a vibrant thriving community unlike many other parts of HSL.