Towards; background to LIVE EDITIONS

“In spring 2026 I came to the end of a year’s intensive research exploring how, and whether, to create a new initiative supporting live practices - in particular movement, sound and performance - in and around Eastbourne where the Downs meet the sea.

This research stems from years of living in the South Downs, hosting artist friends very informally to develop work here, an ongoing outdoor movement practice, and engaging with art scenes along the coast. It’s also informed by experience of working within institutions and independently as a producer and curator, in Sussex but mainly in London and further afield, a desire to continue to support the conditions - and find new ways - for live work to thrive, and a sense that there could be more infrastructure, and a widening of contexts to support bold live practices in and around Eastbourne. For artists to make and present contemporary work, and for audiences to take part and experience it.

Seeing this town and landscape as a shifting one, in which we can all both imagine and contribute to positive change, this research, titled ‘Towards’, has involved conversations and collaborations with artists, activists, ecologists, farmers, land stewards, councillors, community stakeholders, arts organisations; a loose and far from exhaustive mapping of local arts provision; questioning my own practices, mentoring, site visits and hosting events as a form of field research.

One of these events was a walk & talk called this speck of rock led by ecologist and botanist Jonathan Timberlake, looking down at layers in the downland landscape rather than the epic view; how these layers have been shaped by humans, trade and other forces over millenia, and what the future - including caretaking and future heritage - might hold.

Another research event, titled Towards: Proximity & Distance was led by dance artist Carolyn Roy with 10 artists from different disciplines exploring a simple Allan Kaprow walking score in what I now think of as the ‘superbowl’ - one of the downs’ natural amphitheatres.

The approach overall has been fuelled by multiple and growing influences, supported by two broad anchoring questions - What Lights Up? (a phrase which Matthias Sperling uses in dance teaching, and kindly let me borrow), and Why bother? which has felt like a good litmus test at times. It’s also been informed by thinking about curatorial and producing models i have direct and indirect experience of, and by Helena Reckitt’s article From Coping to Curiosity: Unlearning and Reimagining Curatorial Habits of Care.

During this research phase I’ve met with many brilliant people locally and further afield, around 60 in all, and these encouraging conversations, provocations and questions - arising from moving as well as talking - are all feeding forward in various ways. Thanks to everyone involved and to Arts Council England for supporting the research.”
Nikki Tomlinson

Towards: Proximity & Distance in the South Downs National Park (SDNP) was led by dance and sound artist Carolyn Roy with participating artists Jean Abreu, Ben Ash, Korina Biggs, Kate Brown, Rachel Lopez de la Nieta, Lydia Newman, Ivy Tsui, Yumino Seki, Nikki Tomlinson, Clare Whistler.

this speck of rock walk & talk in the SDNP was led by local ecologist and botanist Jonathan Timberlake with guests Ben Chamberlain, Clair Chamberlain, Jo Chiswell-Jones, Loupe Cooper, Charlie Kronick, Robert Mcgowan, Graeme Miller, Liz Overs, Charlotte Still, Jenny Timberlake, Kaixiang Zhang.