Hidden Beach is a cultural programme based in Hastings and St Leonards, creating spaces where people come together through music, food, art, movement, film and shared experience.

What began as a one-day festival has grown into a month-long Summer of Culture, weaving cultural activity through the town each August. The programme brings together live music, DJs, sound system sessions, film nights, creative workshops, wellbeing experiences, shared meals and community gatherings across a range of indoor and outdoor spaces — from coastal parks and community hubs to cinemas, kitchens and pop-up venues.

Hidden Beach is built on the idea that culture is something we make and share together. Our work focuses on access, participation and connection — creating welcoming spaces where people of different ages, backgrounds and experiences can come together, discover new things, and feel part of something collective.

Alongside the main festival day at The Oval, the Summer of Culture includes a wide range of smaller, intimate and participatory events — allowing people to engage with culture in different ways, whether through listening, dancing, making, moving, eating, learning or simply spending time together.

Hidden Beach works with local, national and international artists, facilitators and partners, while staying rooted in the local community. We aim to support creative practice, wellbeing, and social connection, and to contribute to the cultural life of Hastings as something open, joyful and shared.