Surely, there can’t be many galleries where you can step out of an exhibition and straight onto a working fishing beach? But that is exactly what makes Hastings Contemporary so special – it sits directly among the town’s famous tall, black net huts and overlooks the largest beach-launched fishing fleet in Europe. Head inside the award-winning building and you will find an ever-changing programme of exhibitions exploring the sea, sustainability and coastal life. It showcases modern British artists and emerging local talent, alongside projects with scientists and the local community. Independent, charity-run and proudly local, it really is one of the best ways to spend an afternoon in the Old Town of Hastings – a real cultural gem.