In pictures: Bexhill MP officially opens open-air gallery with new artworks for 2026

Footbridge Gallery 3.0, on Bexhill railway station footbridge, officially opened on Saturday (February 21).

The event featured light installations and live music, supported by the Bexhill Chamber of Commerce Centenary Fund.

The launch began at the De La Warr Pavilion, where artists, funders, supporters and partners gathered before walking together to Devonshire Square at 3.30pm for the official opening. Guitarist Tony Coxon provided live music.

18 Hours, the events company behind Bexhill After Dark, the town’s annual light festival, said it partnered with the Footbridge Gallery team to help shape the opening event.

Visitors arriving at Devonshire Square encountered two light installations: The Shared Lantern, a newly commissioned work by artist Leigh Dyer, and The Ribbon Gallery, an installation created from recycled bottles.

Founded in 2019 by residents Tim and Diana Birch, Footbridge Gallery transformed the Bexhill railway station footbridge into a vibrant open-air gallery.

First launched in March 2021, the gallery offered a creative outlet during the pandemic.

Since then, it has continued to welcome artists of all ages and backgrounds from across Rother and Hastings, showcasing their work.

Bexhill MP, Dr Kieran Mullan opened the gallery with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

A spokesperson for the gallery said: “This special 2026 edition marks a centenary milestone. Funded by the UK Government through a Levelling Up Partnership Projects grant awarded to the Bexhill Chamber of Commerce, and administered by Rother District Council via eDeal, the project celebrates the chamber’s commitment to supporting local creativity and community life.

“More than 220 artworks were submitted in this, our third competition. Selected through a combination of public voting and an invited panel of judges, the works reflect the imagination, diversity and creative energy of the people who live and work in this area.”