Tuesday, 03 August 2010 15:26

Danny Pockets, winner of the Sussex Arts Prize, is congratulated by Principal, Sue Midllehurst and Lara Wardle, Director of the Jerwood Foundation

A multi-media artist from St Leonards has become the first winner of the new Sussex Arts Prize. Over 40 local artists put forward proposals to win a prize of £3,000 to put on a solo exhibition at The Circle Gallery at Sussex Coast College Hastings.  Five artists were short-listed and last Thursday the panel; Alan Haydon (De La Warr Pavilion), Elizabeth Gilmore (Arts Council England) and Sarah Williams (Jerwood Space), announced Danny Pockets as the winner during a short presentation in the gallery.

Danny was congratulated by Lara Wardle, Director of the Jerwood Foundation, who sponsors the prize.  Lara said ‘This prize has given Jerwood the opportunity to offer our support to artists living and working in and near Hastings. The quality of the five short listed artists’ proposals is testament to the wealth of talent in Hastings and the surrounding area and reinforces our commitment and excitement of having the Jerwood Gallery in Hastings which is so rich in artistic tradition – both past and present’

Sue Middlehurst, College Principal, said ‘There were so many fantastic ideas proposed for this wonderful space - the judges had a tough decision to make.  We would love some of the other short-listed artists to exhibit here in the future’.

Danny will use recycled objects, sound and film to create a structure that salutes what he describes as ‘the ‘strange majesty of the seaside pier’.  The piece will celebrate the pier of yesterday, today and tomorrow and will be shown in the Circle Gallery in October 2010.

For further information about the exhibition please contact project coordinators Parker Harris on 01372 462190 / This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it / www.parkerharris.co.uk/artists/awards

For further information about Jerwood Gallery please visit www.jerwoodgallery.org