Have A Creative Staycation In Southend-On-Sea, County Of Essex!

The coastal city is home to the first digital art park in the world and an annual street-art festival; meanwhile, the neighbouring city of Leigh is teeming with art exhibitions.

Although the typical British town of Sea may not immediately spring to mind when thinking about art destinations, the destination is quickly becoming a Mecca for street artists.

It all started in September of last year with Southend City Jam, a street art event. The city's down town and waterfront are currently home to murals by more than a hundred different artists, both domestic and foreign.

And on September 1–3, 2023, the annual gathering will take place again.

A local attorney named Walter Beecroft gave the city his collection of 2,000 pieces of art in 1952, which are now freely accessible to the public at the Beecroft Art Gallery. His interests ranged widely, from works by Dutch artists of the 17th century to an original Constable and a bronze by Jacob Epstein. Live music is performed every Saturday at the Jazz Centre underneath the gallery, which also contains Southend's fashion line (which includes 500 swimming suits).

The modern Focal Point Gallery can be found inside the Forum. This gallery is also responsible for the curation of Big Screen Southend in Elmer Square, which displays daily video installations. Westcliff-on-Sea is home to NetPark, which bills itself as the world's first digital art park and is located in neighbouring Chalkwell Park. There are 15 pieces of art, ranging from music to poetry spoken aloud, that may be enjoyed using a smartphone and headphones. Artifacts discovered at the Prittlewell Princely Burial, England's oldest dated Anglo-Saxon royal burial, are on exhibit in Southend's Central Hall.

Southend is a beautiful resort to explore in the spring and summer because of its abundance of events and pleasant atmosphere. On the other hand, the Halloween Parade has been held annually since 2021 and is a great opportunity to dress up in unique costumes while having a good time during your stay.

In the upscale town of Leigh-on-Sea, which can be reached in under ten minutes by rail or by foot along the coast in about an hour, you can find several unique stores and art galleries. This year, from July 8-16, 69 artists will showcase their work at 50 different locations along the Leigh Art Trail.

At 1.34 miles in length, Southend's pleasure pier ranks highest as the world's longest. The Pier Head is a popular stop for tourists who walk the length of the pier (or ride the narrow-gauge train) before turning back.

As for fine dining, you may find several vegan alternatives at Twenty One, as well as a café, gallery, and concert hall located on the beach-front. Built in 1791, the Royal Hotel is where the locals go to enjoy a lively atmosphere and a Bellini before supper. The Mews, a bar and restaurant on the first level, is the perfect place to wind down afterward with a rib-eye steak topped with chimichurri.

Food By John Lawson is a menu-less, innovative restaurant in Leigh. The weekly Friday lunch special is a three-course meal including sustainable seafood and locally sourced produce for £29.95 (wine included).

Excellent accommodation is provided by Thorpe Bay's Roslin Beach Hotel featuring 62 guest rooms, a spa resort, a bar, and a restaurant.

Both Southend Central and Southend Victoria are on the route from London Fenchurch Street to Shoeburyness, with Southend Victoria providing direct service to London Liverpool Street.

 

Source: theguardian.com