Blog

We are pleased to announce a major capital redevelopment ahead of our centenary year in 2023.

The gallery is refurbishing and remodelling the ground floor to improve the visitor experience, build visitor engagement and increase Towner’s financial sustainability.  In the short term, from 25 October 2021, Towner Cinema will be closed until works are completed in early Spring 2022. Keep in touch with us by signing up to our mailing list, and get our expanded cinema newsletter every month until then.

Working with the expertise and guidance of architects Manalo & White, Towner will create a new and open space for socialising and relaxation, browsing and shopping, with engagement and artist activities taking place for everyone. The project will also increase Towner’s ability to raise commercial income to support the charity’s financial sustainability.

Our new foyer will be bright and accessible with more space for visitors to converse, shop or take a moment to rest.  Our shop will move into a dedicated, bespoke space with natural daylight to create an enhanced retail experience and our ground floor café will be opened up to become part of an extended social space leading to the cinema. Our  main café will remain upstairs, so there will be more places to meet, drink, eat and relax across the building.

The two large and welcoming studio spaces at the back of the ground floor will be refurbished, becoming better equipped and more dynamic homes to our Learning and Engagement programme of activities for families and community groups. 

The new and refreshed studios will also be used for artist and maker residencies and workshops as well as for venue hire in the evenings, helping to raise income for the gallery. 

“This project is central to our ambitions to ensure Towner Eastbourne is an engaging and inviting community hub as we move towards our centenary year in 2023. The newly improved spaces will enable us to warmly welcome our audiences to the gallery as well as provide an inviting space for live events, makers fairs, networking events and artist residencies.” – Joe Hill, Director, Towner Eastbourne 

We are grateful to the following funders who have made this project possible: