The Bright Foundation

05/10/2026

🐋🌊 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐄 🌊🐋

“I can hear someone out there. They’re singing to me.”

Dive beneath the waves with us this October half term for a magical deep-sea adventure with The Tale of the Loneliest Whale.

Whale sings his heart out into the deep blue sea… but nobody sings back. Is he the only one like him in the whole ocean?

Just when he’s about to give up, a mysterious voice echoes through the waves. Determined to find the singer, Whale embarks on an unforgettable adventure - diving through glowing coral caves, dodging wibbly jellyfish and facing wild-eyed sea monsters! But will he ever find a friend who hears his song?

✨ Beautiful puppetry
🎵 Original songs
🐠 Hilarious Sea creatures
🙌 Lots of audience interaction
💙 A heartwarming story celebrating friendship, difference and the beauty of being yourself

After the show children can come onto the stage to meet the puppets, followed by creative activities in the museum afterwards. Our café will also be open for drinks and cakes. ☕🍰

🎭 Suitable for ages 4+
⏱️ Running time: 45 minutes
🗓️ Thursday 29 & Friday 30 October
🕚 10:30am or 1:30pm

Book your tickets here: https://thebrightfoundation.org.uk/events/the-tale-of-the-loneliest-whale/
This performance is made possible by Applause Rural Touring.

02/10/2026

✨ 𝐁𝐅𝚰 𝐅𝚰𝐋𝐌 𝐀𝐂𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐘 𝐒𝐎𝐔𝐓𝐇 𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝚰𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐃𝐔𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐒𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝟏𝟔-𝟏𝟗𝐬 ✨

⏰ There are just a couple of days left to apply for this FREE Introductory course for 16-19-year-olds over the October half-term!

You will take part in workshops and masterclasses with industry professionals designed to improve your knowledge of the industry and to develop your creative, technical and production skills in filmmaking.

As a team, you will make a short film that will be screened in Hastings and London alongside other BFI Film Academy short films.

No previous experience needed – just a passion for film and a desire to learn more!

✍️ APPLY HERE: https://thebrightfoundation.org.uk/.../bfi-academy-intro.../

Course Dates
Saturday 17 October 10am-1pm (Course Introduction)
Monday 26 October 10am - 5pm
Tuesday 27 October 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 28 October 10am - 5pm
Thursday 29 October 9am - 5pm (Shoot Day)
Saturday 7th November 10am - 5pm (Post Production Day)
Wednesday 9 December – Local Screening

We welcome all and aim to be accessible to everybody. Travel bursaries available.

𝘉𝘍𝘐 𝘍𝘪𝘭𝘮 𝘈𝘤𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘺 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘌𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘚𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘍𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘜𝘒 𝘎𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘓𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨.

27/09/2026

The Benbow Youth Film Collective is back!

Join us from 5-7pm on Wednesday evenings, from 4 November for six weeks of filmmaking, creativity and fun for young people aged 11–16.

This term, we're stepping back into the golden age of television – and you'll create your own night of TV!

📺 𝑻𝑽 𝑻𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝑴𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒆 📺

Hastings is considered the birthplace of television, so we're turning back the clock to a time when there were just four channels … and a whole evening of entertainment curated to keep audiences glued to the box!

We'll dive into the weird, wonderful and wonderfully cheesy world of 90s television – from sitcoms and sketch shows to game shows, commercials and trailers.

Then it's your turn! Working together, you'll dream up, create and produce your very own night of television.

🎬 TV Time Machine runs across six weekly, two-hour sessions and will be delivered in collaboration with the team behind Hastings TV Museum.

Head to the What's On page on our website for more details and to book your place. https://thebrightfoundation.org.uk/events/benbow-youth-film-collective-summer-2026-11-16-year-olds/

🎥 Aged 16–25? Stay tuned! We've got some exciting announcements coming soon about membership of the BFI Film Academy South East.

15/09/2026

🤔 What is Foley?

𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐲; 𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐧: 𝘙𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘮. [𝘔𝘢𝘺 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘦 𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘦, 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘳, 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴, 𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘰𝘯😳]

In this Hastings Online Times article, Jude Montague talks to award-winning Foley Artist Ruth Sullivan about the mysterious craft of Foley, and her impressive work in productions such as Killing Eve, The Death of Stalin, Mamma Mia!, Peppa Pig, and Downton Abbey.

If you're 11-19 years old you can join Ruth and Modus Arts at the Benbow Arts Space to take part in a 𝑭𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒚 𝑭𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒔 as part of XMTR Audio Arts Festival! Have a look on our What's On page for tickets and more info.

🗓️ Saturday 26 August
🕚 11:00am till 1:00pm

Ruth Sullivan Jude Montague talks to Ruth Sullivan about her work in foley and this mysterious craft that makes our drama and media so much more expressive. Television and film that we love such as Apocalypse …

29/08/2026

✨Seventeen performers. Five Days. One very memorable show ✨

Huge applause for 17 brilliant 8–11-year-olds who threw themselves into the 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲 & 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 summer intensive this week!

In just five days, we’ve devised a story, created scenes and props 🖌️ composed a song 🎶 stepped into character 🎭 … and discovered what happens behind the scenes.

Then yesterday, it was time for the performance: 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙀𝙡𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙮.

Our cast took to the stage for family and friends — making the most of our extended backstage space with a surprise reveal ….💥

It’s been a week teeming with creativity, teamwork, and plenty of theatrical magic. Thank you all for bringing your imagination, energy, and brilliant ideas👏

Special thanks to Poppy Rowley, Bev Lee Harding, Nicola Jones, Sophie Barnard and lighting designer Chris Williams.

12/08/2026

It’s Day One of 𝑴𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝑺𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒆! Summer Intensive.

We’ve moved venues to the Barn Theatre and Museum in search of some much-needed air conditioning during this extreme heat — and boy, we’re glad we did! ❄️

🎬 𝑴𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝑺𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒆! is a three-day project exploring one short scene from start to finish. Our group of 16 has been divided into two filming teams, each made up of 4 actors and 4 technical crew. Both teams will create their own version of the same scene.

Over the three days, the young people will take part in a mixture of skills workshops, filming and editing, giving everyone the chance to explore different aspects of filmmaking and performance.

🍏 The programme has been made possible in part thanks to the ESCC Holiday and Food Activities Programme. Earlier this afternoon, the group headed out into the grounds to pick apples and pears straight from the trees — before turning them into mini apple crumbles to take home.

10/08/2026

We are once again a venue for XMTR.FM Audio Festival on Saturday 26th September!

We'll be hosting two events for young people at the Benbow Arts Space at 2 London Road:

🔈 𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬 with Modus Arts
for 11-19-year-olds
£5pp
Create your own live sound effects using a range of materials, from pebbles and plastic sheets, to sticks, hot-water bottles, and even celery! All amplified through specialist microphones.

🎙️ 𝐒𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐜 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 with Will Gore
for 8-12-year-olds
£5pp
A creative children's workshop headed by narrative sound artist Will Gore and friends in which you are both the story tellers and main character journeying through a sonic landscape of our own creation.

💥 See the What’s on page on our website for more info:
https://thebrightfoundation.org.uk/whats-on/

29/07/2026

WE'RE RECRUITING!

🌟 Are you passionate about creativity, arts education and helping children and young people thrive? Do you love being organised, building relationships, and making inspiring projects happen? 🌟

The Bright Foundation is looking for a proactive and enthusiastic 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 to help deliver our growing programme of creative learning opportunities for children and young people across Hastings, St Leonards, and Rother.

As Programme Coordinator, you will play a central role in organising and supporting our schools, public and youth programmes. You'll coordinate bookings, liaise with teachers and partners, support events and workshops, and help ensure the smooth day-to-day running of the charity.

See the 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝙒𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙐𝙨 page on our website for further info and to download a job pack: https://thebrightfoundation.org.uk/get-involved/work-with-us/

🕘 Deadline for applications: Monday 17 August at 9am
🗓️ Interviews on Tuesday 8 September

21/07/2026

📣 We’re delighted to announce the appointment of three new trustees to our Board:

✨ Claire Smith
✨ Abby-Lee Widger
✨ Katy Spicer

Welcome all, and huge thanks to everyone who applied.

➡️ Scroll to learn more about our new trustees.