The De La Warr Pavilion Artists’ Crit Group meets on the last Thursday of every month at 6-8pm in the DLWP Studio.

The meetings are informal, friendly and offer visual artists an opportunity to share their work and ideas in a mutually supportive setting.

Sketchbooks, journals, ideas books, visual diaries, ‘real’ or ‘virtual’- whatever we choose to call them they are where we can experiment, draw, paint, stick things in, gather information, make a mess….

I have friends who are never without one, others who rarely, if ever use one. Over the years I’ve had periods when I’ve used them intensively then long gaps. In 2016 during a visit to the USA I re-discovered how much I enjoyed drawing and using a sketchbook. Last year I became so involved that I began to question whether this was actually becoming a kind of distraction, a way of avoiding making larger work, and if so does that really matter?

I have decided to use my ‘Crit Group’ session as an opportunity to open up these questions to other artists.

I will be bringing a selection of my sketchbooks and it would be really good if anyone who feels happy to participate could maybe bring along one of theirs – I will also bring several books which reproduce work from the sketchbooks of well known artists, including Alex Katz, Frida Kahlo and Richard Diebenkorn.

About DLWP Artists' Crit Group

About DLWP Artists' Crit Group

The De La Warr Pavilion Artists’ Crit Group meets on the last Thursday of every month at 6-8pm in the DLWP Studio.

The group began in 2009 as a six month long, artists’ career development pilot project. Over the years, the group has evolved into a sociable group which meets on a monthly basis with members dropping in regularly or occasionally and the group continues to grow and attract new members. Meetings usually take place in the De La Warr Pavilion Studio but occasionally we visit members exhibitions and studios too.

The group aims to be inclusive and welcomes all visual artists from students and recent graduates, enthusiastic amateurs, emerging and mid-career creative professionals, through to established artists working in any medium including film, photography, sculpture, painting, printmaking, performance, illustration and digital art.

The meetings are informal, friendly and offer visual artists an opportunity to share their work and ideas in a mutually supportive setting. There’s no set format, all artists are welcome to present their work in whatever way they feel is most appropriate. You don’t need to prepare a talk, but can if you wish. The only requirement is that there’s an opportunity to ask questions and discuss the work as a group. Meetings are two hours long, which allows plenty of time for an in-depth conversation, it may sound like a long time but presenters invariably remark on how quickly the time goes and meetings have been known to overrun and continue on in the local pub afterwards.

Over the years group members have built strong relationships with one another and have collaborated on various projects including the Navigate Art Trail in Bexhill and the Sotto Voce Exchange Residency which saw a group of our members making work and exhibiting in the castle in Corigliano D’Otranto in Italy in Winter 2014 and reciprocal visit from Italian artists, musicians and actors making work, performing and exhibiting in and around Hastings and Bexhill in Summer 2015. These projects were generously supported by the De La Warr Pavilion, Rother District Council and Hastings Council, Sussex Coast College, St Mary in the Castle and Jerwood Gallery.

Previous presenters include

Join DLWP Artists' Crit Group

The group is free to join and is coordinated by painter-curator Paula MacArthur.

Please contact her for further information paulamacarthur@me.com

Mailing list

Join our mailing list for details of forthcoming meetings and news about members’ exhibitions and events. Click here to sign up today.

Social media

You can also follow us on our social media pages.

Twitter: @DLWP_Artists

Facebook: Click here to request to join.

Booking information

Please note that Booking Fees apply on the following transactions:

Online: Tickets booked online are subject to booking fees when purchased through our website. E-tickets are emailed instantly on the account you have registered with DLWP, please check your Junk folder if they don’t arrive within 30 minutes. Customers can also download their tickets through our website within ‘My Account’.

Telephone: £3.50 per transaction + £2 postage or free collection at the Box Office.

In Person: There are currently no charges for booking tickets in person.

There is a £2 charge to post tickets.

We strongly recommend ticket buyers to take out Ticket Protection insurance with Secure My Booking available when you book your tickets at check out.

 

Please note that we are only able to post tickets within the UK. If you live overseas please select box office collection or print at home tickets. Tickets purchased for post will be sent 10 – 14 days before the show date.

Full terms and conditions can be found here.

Eat before the show

Book online: Pre-show dining can be booked online as an add-on when purchasing tickets for selected events. You will be purchasing a ticket to guarantee your meal before the show.
Please note you must be a ticket holder to the show to book pre-show dining.

Already booked your tickets? If you’ve already booked tickets for a show and would like to add dining, please contact Box Office: boxoffice@dlwp.com

On the night: If you have pre-booked please come to the bar to order from the gig menu and sit at one of the reserved tables.

No re-entry

Please be aware that we operate no re-entry for gigs. This means that once you have entered the building, you cannot go out and re-enter. This policy is in line with other major music venues across the UK and put in place on police advice. No re-entry is clearly signposted as you come through security on the front door.
There is a fenced-off area on the terrace for people who go out to smoke or vape.

Staying locally

There are plenty of welcoming and good value B&Bs & boutique hotels in Bexhill. The De La Warr Pavilion regularly uses the following:

Travel information
  • By Rail
    Direct trains go from London Victoria, Brighton and Ashford to Bexhill.
    There are also trains from London Charing Cross, changing at St. Leonards Warrior Square and from London Bridge or Charing Cross going to Battle. Battle is only a short taxi journey away (15 mins approx).
    Visit www.nationalrail.co.uk for up-to-date train travel information.
  • Taxis
    Town Taxis:  01424 211 511
    Parkhurst Taxis:  01424 733 456
  • By Car
    If driving from the London area:
    Take the M25, then A21 to Hastings. Turn off at John‘s Cross and follow the signs to Bexhill.
    OR
    Take the A22 to Eastbourne, go across the Bishop roundabout to the A271 and follow the signs to Bexhill and the seafront. The De La Warr Pavilion is on the Marina.
    From the Brighton area:
    Follow the A27 out of Brighton until you arrive in Bexhill On Sea.
  • Parking
    Please be aware the Rother District car park outside the De La Warr Pavilion operates paid parking until 7pm. After this time parking is free.
Accessibility

Within the limits of this Grade One listed building, the De La Warr Pavilion strives to be fully accessible with a range of facilities to support your visit.

Assistance Dogs are permitted into the building.

Please contact the Box Office on boxoffice@dlwp.com to arrange a visit.

Facilities for disabled visitors

  • Ramped access at the front of the building
  • A low counter at the Box Office and  Information Desk
  • Disabled toilets on two floors
  • A lift to all floors
  • Accessible galleries on both floors
  • An accessible Café
  • Spaces for wheelchairs in the auditorium for seated events
  • Ramped access in the auditorium for events during the day
  • Ramped access into the Studio
  • Two travel wheelchairs are available for use at the De La Warr Pavilion. To reserve, please call our box office and information desk on (01424) 229111 or ask a member of staff on arrival. The chairs are provided on a first come, first served basis and are intended for use inside the Pavilion. Please contact us for more information.

Facilities for blind or visually-impaired

  • Large print season brochures

Facilities for the hard-of-hearing

  • An T-Switch induction loop in some areas of the auditorium (please indicate when booking as this facility is not available on the balcony)
  • British Sign Language interpretation tours of the building and exhibitions are available on request.