The Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft in the East Sussex village of Ditchling has long been on my To Visit list. When I spotted that their temporary exhibition this year was on seasisde signage, I managed to actually get there!
This exhibition, Signs of the Seaside, is on until 3 September and comprises new commissions, historic artefacts, photos, posters and books showcasing the typography of the British seaside.
Although I very much enjoyed the main exhibition, I was expecting a larger permanent collection or display providing contextual insights on the museum's history, the wider local artistic community, why the focus on typography etc. This may be in part linked to a need to now downplay the Eric Gill connections. But they are still happy to be displaying their connections to funding received from the Sackler Family.
They do have a nice cafe and shop with a number of items linked to another famous Ditchling resident, Dame Vera Lynn.
Whilst in Ditchling, I also popped to nearby St Margaret's Church to doff my cap at the memorial for Dame Vera Lynn (and Henry Lewis), and then had a drink in the Dame Vera Lynn room at the Nutmeg Tree cafe opposite.
So Ditchling's been crossed off the To Visit list! It's unlikely that we'll meet again!
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