OBX is the Creative Technology hub for Hastings Commons. We are based on the mezzanine floor in the Observer Building. We work with local communities and artists to run workshops, talks, exhibitions and arts projects. We explore opportunities presented by creative technology to build stronger communities, develop great art and talent and support employment potential. We aim to be led and inspired by communities local to our building.
Find an event to attend here: OBX Eventbrite
Here is a preparation story for people who may benefit from preparing ahead of visiting our space: OBX Preparation Story
Join our free events in Coastal Currents Festival
6th, 7th & 8th September
Dream/Time
Young people from Hastings have commissioned a new work by a local artist for the Coastal Currents Festival 2024. The work is about the future of Hastings, 2024 – 2124 and what it means to be alive, past, future present. The young programmers have been guided by prominent local organisations including Project Art Works and Trans Pride Hastings through an OBX upskilling project called ‘Commoning the Programme One’ which has been part funded by Arts Council England.
Location: Priory Meadow Shopping Centre, Queens Rd, Hastings TN34 1PH
Dates & Times:
Dream/Time Artist Talk: Thursday 5th September at the Observer Building: 18.30 - 20.30 RSVP needed but free: Book Here
Dream/Time Exhibition:
7 & 8 September at Priory Meadow:
Saturday 7, 09.00 - 17.30
Sunday 8, 10.00 - 16.00
No need to book, just turn up!
Access:
If you have any access requirements, please feel free to get in touch with us and we can do our best to support. This might look like us supporting with transport costs or having someone help guide you around the exhibition. Contact us on obx@hastingscommons.com
Read our preparation story here to find out more about what to expect: Dream/Time Preparation Story
This exhibition is about finding commonality, a single word that unites two people’s sentences.
I am exploring minds and memories from two groups at opposite ends of the curve of life. Daydreams of the young, and memories of the older generation
Children, in a sense, the most ‘alive’ group there is: children, humans with no filter, not yet bound with life. Their daydreams are often clean, unwrapped, simple, removed from rationality.
The older generation? Their life bound with rich memory and reminiscence.
I have asked the elders:
“What is one memory of Hastings you hold dear”
I ask the young:
“What’s your favourite daydream?”
The responses, will be: a mix of the heartfelt, whimsical, pure, poignant, joyous, uplifting, mad and beautiful.
Visitors will be immersed in the 50 pairings, with the single word common to two sentences, locking them in place, a maze of memory and dreams.
Favoured pairings will be visualised with sculptures, visualising the unions of dream and recollection.
Born in 1969, Mark grew up in rural Cornwall.
A childhood naturalist, Mark spent his formative years in the woods that surrounded the family home. His tiny bedroom was a trove of tanks of the living, bottles and jars of the dead and dissected owl pellets from the barn.
At 16, bored of preserving and pickling, Bell picked up a camera.
At 18 he travelled to London to chase the dream of a photographer.
After a few years, with an agent and work published in Blitz and Vogue, he fell in love with sculpture, making pieces from found objects procured from the streets and skips of Hackney. Commissions came from individuals such as Alan Ayckbourn and institutions including The Royal National Theatre and exhibited a piece, ‘eye of the beholder’, at the ICA. His career morphed to become a Creative Director. He went onto found two design agencies, Warm Rain and latterly Mark Lawson Bell Studio, under the moniker of Plinth Creative. Their client lists citing some of the world’s top brands, from ABSOLUT, to Veuve Clicquot. He won a D&AD design award for a Pringle of Scotland interior, and featured in many design books. Mark created an installation at EARTH, Art of a changing world at The Royal Academy. He was the Artistic Director of ‘sketch’ in London, by all accounts the most creative collection of restaurants and bars under one roof in Mayfair
He is now concentrating on his own work. He lives and works in Hastings, East Sussex.
For more information check out:
Website: marklawsonbell.co.uk
New Book: Talesfrombrokenplates.com
Instagram: @marklawsonbell
Invented Futures
Taking inspiration from John Logie Baird’s experiments in Hastings which led to the invention of television, young people have worked with sound artist Isobel Anderson, animator Isabel Garrett and the team at OBX to create a striking video installation about future innovations they’d like to see.
Location: OBX Creative Tech Hub, Observer Building, 53 Cambridge Rd, Hastings, TN34 1DT
Dates:
Thursday 5th: 18.30 - 20.30 - opening night as part of OBX Connects. Please book your free ticket here.
Friday 6 & September 7 September: 10.30 - 18.00: No need to book, just turn up!
What We Do
Motivate X
Working with Motivate Youth Forum, OBX are helping to set up MotivateX: a series of satellite creative technology hubs embedded within communities of young people providing access to the tools we use at OBX in their neighbourhoods to make digital art. Motivate is run by Fresh Visions.
OBX Connects
A free programme of talks held on the first Thursday of each month by local and national digital artists on varied topics (so far AI activism, Feminist Crip-Tech, Neurodiversity and video games). The evening also includes community round ups, where people can talk about their own work, find project collaborators and meet other interesting local people.
Printing the Future
In 2022, working with artists Zeroh Studio, we created a mass 3D portrait of over 300 people who live and work in Hastings. Each person was 3D scanned and the manitures were exhibited at the Observer Building. OBX is now working with 3D printed chocolate, to create new art works and kick start conversations about possible future solutions to food poverty. Read more here
Digital Trinity Triangle
The Digital Trinity Triangle is part of the Heritage Action Zone and uses photogrammetry and video gaming to promote the rich heritage and stories of the Trinity Triangle in Hastings. Current plans include aiming to roll out our 'Trinity Triangle' interactive game across Hastings.
Game in a Day
This is a one day workshop where people learn to use professional video game tools through developing a creative outlet for their ideas. The day includes the creation of stories, characters, and backgrounds using industry standard game engines and sound technology. Our last Game in a Day was with young people but its suitable for all ages! For more information about workshops please email obx@hastingscommons.com
E-waste & 100 years of TV
Working with Hastings Museum, Hastings Library of Things, Make and Mend and local artists we are setting up a repair café to recycle and redistribute smart phones, laptops and other ‘e waste’ products. Any remaining ‘waste’ will be used to create new digital art works with young people, which will be shown across the town, raising awareness about the history of innovation in Hastings and celebrating the 100 year anniversary of the invention of television in the town by John Logie Baird.
Commoning the Programme
Designed with and for young people and communities in Hastings, we aim to build the local digital arts ecology, initially through training young people in arts programming, who will commission new artworks. These will be shown publicly as part of the Observer Building Centenary Anniversary in 2024, questioning and exploring the future and the next 100 years at the Observer Building. The programme is designed to address the “Power and Pitfalls of Programming" and examines who makes decisions about which art gets shown to the public and how art is valued.
Creative Tech Taster Sessions
One day or half day activities, developing digital confidence through creative sessions in VR drawing, digital design, electronic sound, and 3d model making. Initially we have been rolling these out with groups of young people working with ‘Get Digital’ who support young people with care experience and Motivate, youth forums run by Fresh Visions. For more information about workshops please email obx@hastingscommons.com
Understory
Understory is a tool developed by Onion Collective, for us to map the network of relationships that support our organisations and people. It builds community strength by helping a community to understand itself better. The map enables us to see who we have here in the community, what goals everyone is working towards, and how each of our organisations connect. This information will tell us how to build stronger ties between people and stronger collaborations around our goals. See the Hastings Understory network
Join a Regular Event
Projects with Artists
How we can support artists
We are keen to engage with artists operating in the expansive field of digital arts. Our primary emphasis is on scheduled initiatives, but we are open to discovering more about people’s creative practices. Feel free to get in touch with us: obx@hastingscommons.com or come and say hello at our next OBX Connects event (1st Thursday evening of each month).
Upon gaining a deeper understanding of your work, we may be able to support your project through a partnership where we provide access to in-kind space, equipment, supporting funding applications, and/or technical guidance. Depending on the nature of your work and our funding situation, there might be a modest financial contribution and sometimes we offer commissions, so do keep an eye out for these.
Although we have achieved a lot we are a relatively new organisation with many diverse objectives. In addition to fostering the local arts and digital community, our primary emphasis lies in designing and delivering projects that empower young people aged 11-18 to enhance their digital skills and co-design projects with us.
OBX is presently supporting projects that celebrate the Trinity Triangle Heritage Action Zone. One of these projects is "Living Memories," an artwork crafted by artist Emma Harding. Engaging with individuals from various locations in Hastings, including shops, coffee bars, and day centres, Emma has been discussing and collecting their memories, which she has then cast into ceramic tiles. Collaborating with students from Bexhill College, Emma will also be filming these narratives and projection mapping them onto the tiles at a special event in March 2024.
Partners
Collaborating with like-minded organisations to pool resources and expertise for a common vision is a key focus for us. If you have any proposals on how we could collaborate, we welcome the opportunity to discuss them. Feel free to reach out to us at obx@hastingscommons.com or meet us in person at our next OBX Connects event, held on the first Thursday evening of each month.
Young People
Here at OBX we are developing new projects all of the time. To keep up to date with ways you can get involved:
- Follow us on social media (Facebook, X and Instagram)
- Sign-up for our mailing list (bottom of page)
- Ask a parent/carer/guardian to get in touch with us via email: obx@hastingscommons.com
- Don't forget to also check out the Hastings Youth Commons for other projects you could get involved with!
"This is the best thing I've ever done!"
(Young Person after taking part in a Game in a Day Workshop)
Partners & Funders
E Waste & Digital Exclusion
Make and Mend Bexhill and Beyond
The Library of Things
Hastings Voluntary Action
Youth Projects
Fresh Visions - Motivate
East Sussex College
Get Digital - East Sussex County Council
Bexhill 6th Form College
Understory
3D Chocolate
Lee Degiorgio
Get in touch!
Contact Us
We love hearing from you. Email OBX@hastingscommons.com with any questions or thoughts!
Looking for wellbeing support?
Are you looking for support with your wellbeing? Is there an organisation that might be able to provide that? Why don't you check out Hub of Hope to see.
Visit Us
OBX is based in the mezzanine floor of the Observer Building.
53 Cambridge Road, Hastings, TN34 1DT.
The floor is fully accessible with lift access.