Enjoy another chance to view the highly popular festival sketches exhibition.
As we continue to celebrate our 10th year of operations, we’re delighted to throw open the doors of the festival sketches exhibition again on 27th-28th June, 12-3pm, during the @towngrown #EdibleOpenGardens weekend.
Alongside the garden planting and soundscapes in the log stores, view 6000 children’s sketches inspired by John Agard’s My Name Is BOOK, illustrated by Neil Packer. The drawings are exhibited in ceiling to floor scrolls, scrapbooks, cardboard automata and illuminated shadow exhibits.
Venue directions on the news page of the #ATownExploresABook web site and in the Edible Open Gardens map to be published soon.
Well done to the 4 festival young creative writers who were selected as overall winners this year.
Their imaginative words inspired new music compositions ‘Talking Book’, ‘Follow The Pen’, ‘Crystal Cover’, and ‘The Book That Gets Revenge’ which were performed in the festival opening event.
@countusin_communitymusic are excited to report that these pieces will be recorded this term so that they can be enjoyed some more!🎶
📷: one of the fantastic overall winners photographed by @gurt_burg
Throw back to 26th March at the opening of the #ATownExploresABook26 festival kindly hosted by @chchstleonards and kindly supported by @hastings247 .
This year 60 children performed music inspired by the book choice funded by @youthmusicuk through the @explorethearch@countusin_communitymusic programme.
Creative Writing Competition certificates were awarded in the culmination of the festival schools programme supported by Sussex Community Foundation.
Congratulations to all the children, parents and teachers involved in such a joyous celebration. It was fun, fun, fun📚🎉
Read more about the festival on the news page of our web site, link in profile.
📷: @gurt_burg
How lovely to be back at @sevensisterscountrypark . Thank you @southdownsnp for transport support for the #FourCourtsConnect community who wouldn’t otherwise be able to access this amazing landscape in their county. The month of May is a great time to visit🌼☀️
#FourCourtsConnect is an asset based community development programme run by #ExploreTheArch.
It’s #EarthDay2026. Celebrating food in the Archer Lodge garden sustaining us at the moment.
#OrganicGarden #SustainableFood #ExploreTheArch #FourCourtsConnect
It’s #EarthDay2026. Celebrating food in the Archer Lodge garden full of summer promise.
#OrganicGarden #SustainableFood #ExploreTheArch #FourCourtsConnect
#TheHouseofSketches has been a highlight in the #ATownExploresABook26 festival. Built from the 6000 sketches children created as they explored #JohnAgard’s #MyNameIsBOOK in the festival assemblies, it champions drawing as a vibrant way to engage with books.
“These exquisite sketches are fascinating as they demonstrate how we think differently. Responding to the same point in the book, children’s creativity has taken them in many different directions in that moment which I love.” Exhibition viewer.
Keep an eye out for more chances to see the exhibition in May as we continue to mark the 10th year of the festival.
The #ATownExploresABook festival schools strand has been supported by @sussexcommunityfoundation . @4courtsconnect community participants curated the exhibition with @explorethearch ’s early career team. Thanks to @studioriley_ who supported with exhibition resources.
📷: We enjoyed welcoming @fimcgarry of @hastingsindependent to the exhibition. She chatted with the early career team members @gurt_burg , @joenewland_ and @merle.hsindall who have led festival operations. Last photo supplied by @joenewland_ snapping the fun in the interactivity.
10th Year Exuberance
As we close the 10th year of the #ATownExploresABook festival we are confidently youth-led.
Our reader-led community arta festival in #StLeonardsOnSea has been funded by @sussexcommunityfoundation and @hastings247 in 2926. Thanks so much to these organisations for helping to bring the community together in fun free creative exploration📚🤸🏽♀️🎉
It’s the last day of the #ATownExploresABook26 festival: Sunday 12th April.
The school term restarts tomorrow and we put #JohnAgard’s #MyNameIsBOOK illustrated by Neil Packer back on the shelf.
Please share what you have enjoyed about the 10th year of this reader-led community arts festival in #StLeonardsOnSea, #EastSussex!
📷: one of the fantastic 2026 #ATownExploresABook festival ambassadors
Thanks to everyone who’s visited the House of Sketches and explored the 6000 children’s drawings inspired by #JohnAgard’s #MyNameIsBOOK and films of early career facilitators @gurt_burg@merle.hsindall and @joenewland_ by @roadfactoryfilms .
This festival exhibition, supported by @sussexcommunityfoundation continues to 12th April, open daily 11am-2pm.
Thank you to staff from Ashmole Primary School, Christ Church CE Primary Academy, Dudley Infant Academy, Robsack Wood Primary Academy, Mulberry Silverdale Academy, St Pauls CE Academy, Torfield School and Vauxhall Primary School for collaborating on this exciting journey.
The exhibition is curated by @4courtsconnect participants with the @explorethearch team. Thanks to @studioriley_ for support with exhibition furniture.
Enjoy the festival window displays and @zoomarts.stleonardsonsea ’s exhibition as well - so much to do! Explore a book creatively in #StLeonardsOnSea during the school spring holiday.
#EastSussex
#ExploreABook
“Pleasant to me is the glittering of the sun today upon these margins, because it flickers so.” Marginal notes by an Irish scribe in a ninth-century manuscript. #JohnAgard includes this beautiful quote in the #ATownExploresABook26 festival book choice, #MyNameIsBook.
The festival sketches exhibition, supported by @sussexcommunityfoundation and highlighting the children’s exploration of the book in the 10th year of the festival, has been hugely popular since opening. Along with @zoomarts.stleonardsonsea ’s exhibition, it’s open daily until the close of the festival and, with help from the sun, the above quote is conjured! The exhibition is curated by @4courtsconnect participants with the @explorethearch team. Thanks to @studioriley_ for support with exhibition furniture.
Enjoy the festival window displays as well - so much to do! Explore a book creatively in #StLeonardsOnSea during the school spring holiday.
#EastSussex
#ExploreABook
@forageandfleurfloristry@hbmencap@crafting_connections_hastings@mytin_ytown@the_bookkeeper_bookshop@sugarpiehoneybunscoffeeshop@liz_emtage_ceramics
A joyous time yesterday at @crafting_connections_hastings where many #ATownExploresABook26 book chats were enjoyed in the message making activity.
Thanks to facilitators Shavona and Theresa and all local creatives who have opened up their spaces this week to #ATownExploresABook families.
The free festival offer continues today - Easter Sunday - with draw on the wall in the mixed media exhibition inspired by #JohnAgard’s #MyNameIsBOOK at the Zoom Arts Gallery, #StLeonardsWarriorSquare, #StLeonardsOnSea.
Details of all the #ATownExploresABook festival activities on the what’s on page of the web site, link in profile.
