The Big Art Secret
13 - 20 October 2012 (free)
An exhibition and secret auction in aid of St. Wilfrid's Hospice - featuring artworks by David Hockney and Tracey Emin, Ronnie Corbett, Greg Rusedski and the Prime Minister!
Past exhibitions
The Edge in Landscape
13 July - 30 September 2012 (free)
An exhibition of world class contemporary art by some of today’s most celebrated and exciting international artists – featuring Yael Bartana, Mario Garcia Torres, João Penalva and Eugenio Dittborn. All works on show are new acquisitions for the Towner Collection.
Harold Mockford: A Retrospective of a Sussex Painter
14 July - 30 September 2012
Harold Mockford is one of the best known and most loved Sussex artists. He depicts the familiar rolling hills, woodland and coastal scenes of the South Downs, but transforms them into the extraordinary through his use of deep, rich colours and surreal perspectives.
Willie Doherty: Disturbance
21 April - 24 June 2012 (free)
Twice Turner Prize nominated artist Willie Doherty is renowned for his video installations and photographs. Disturbance surveys his works from the mid 1980s to today - including his most recent video work, Ancient Ground, shot last year on the peat bogs of County Donegal.
This is Eastbourne, This is…
12 May - 10 June 2012 (free)
Our 2012 annual schools exhibition explores local and cultural pride. Towner Collection works depicting Sussex scenes - by artists such as Alfred Wallis - hang beside artwork by pupils from the region. This exhibition has been kindly funded by NADFAS and East Sussex County Council.
East Sussex Open 2012
24 March – 29 April (free)
The third year of our popular open submission exhibition, open to all East Sussex artists and makers. With works in every media, this exhibition celebrates the wealth of regional artistic talent on our doorstep.
New Eyes: Six artists explore the collection and reflect on the creative process
22 October 2011 - 22 April 2012 (free)
Inspired by the Marcel Proust quote "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes", six artists from local artist network Bluemonkeynet have curated a new collection display. Artists include Tacita Dean, Eduardo Paolozzi, Eric Ravilious and Pablo Picasso.
Gibson / Martelli (igloo) – VISITOR
28 January - 1 April 2012 (free)
Inspired by the icy mountains of the Canadian Rockies, VISITOR is an interactive installation by BAFTA nominated artists Bruno and Martelli. Encountering a life size replica of a trappers' cabin, you are invited to navigate through a virtual, frozen other world...
The People’s Republic of Towner
14 - 29 January 2012 (free)
A co-production between Towner and CRI Lift House, a drug treatment service concerned with the treatment and care of vulnerable adults. Enter a life size ‘dwelling’ constructed in our Exhibition Halls, made almost entirely from recycled materials, and explore a parallel world of ultra violet squats and sofa surfing show homes!
Franziska Furter: stray currents
8 October 2011 - 2 January 2012 (free)
Towner has commissioned Swiss artist Furter to make a series of new conceptual works. Graphite drawings and ephemeral three-dimensional works form an ambitious sculptural installation that fills our whole 400 sq m Exhibition Gallery.