A new festival exploring grief, love and loss is coming to Hastings Friday 22 May – Monday 25 May (Spring Bank Holiday) 2026
Good Grief Hastings will explore how creativity, conversation and community can help people support one another through grief and loss. Taking place over the late May Bank Holiday weekend, the four-day festival will bring people together for talks, workshops, music, film and creative experiences that open up compassionate conversations about death and bereavement.
The festival is produced by local events organisation 18 Hours, in partnership with St Michael’s Hospice, Good Grief Festival CIC and the University of Brighton, as part of the £2.4 million Coastal Community and Creative Health project, a national research initiative exploring how creative community activity can improve wellbeing and help tackle health inequalities in coastal towns, including Hastings.
Good Grief Hastings creates a welcoming space for people to share stories, engage with specialists in grief support and the creative arts, and take part in thoughtful and inspiring workshops. Through music, visual art, film, performance and discussion, the festival challenges the taboos around death and loss, encouraging open and tender conversations.
Across the weekend, audiences can expect Remembrance walks, storytelling events, talks, film screenings, live music, performance and arts exhibitions. There will also be opportunities to explore grief through shaping clay, weaving, writing, dancing and creating together in shared spaces. Some moments will be quiet and reflective, others communal and energising.
Where it began
Good Grief Festival was founded in 2020 by Professor Lucy Selman at the University of Bristol. Originally created as an online event during the pandemic, it responded to a time when many people were grieving in isolation.
Since then, it has grown into a nationally recognised festival, bringing researchers, healthcare professionals, artists and communities together to talk openly and creatively about grief. Recent in person editions, including Good Grief Weston, have transformed community spaces into places for reflection, conversation and support, attracting thousands of participants across the UK.
Now, this nationally recognised festival comes to Hastings, shaped by local partners and rooted in the town’s strong cultural and community networks.
Quotes
Dr Mandy Curtis, Director of 18 Hours and Senior Lecturer at University of Brighton’s School of Business and Law, said:
“Good Grief Hastings is about creating space for grief in all its ways. Grief is not only about the loss of a person. It can be about changes in our lives, our health, our relationships or our sense of identity. By bringing this festival to Hastings, we hope to offer a welcoming and creative environment where people can explore those experiences openly, through conversation, making and shared moments.”
Amalabandhu Chandler, Bereavement and Spiritual Support Services Lead at St Michael’s Hospice, said:
“While everyone experiences grief at some point in their lives, many people face isolation and loneliness when coping with the loss of someone close to them. These feelings can have a profound impact on mental health and wellbeing.
Through arts and creative expression, Good Grief Hastings will create welcoming spaces where people can come together to reflect, connect and talk openly about grief in accessible and supportive ways. The festival will bring people together through conversation, creativity and shared reflection, helping to normalise discussions around loss while strengthening both individual and community resilience.
By sharing experiences and engaging in creative activities, participants can feel less alone in their grief and more supported by those around them. Over time, this approach helps foster greater compassion, stronger social connections and a more open culture around grief, supporting healthier, more resilient communities for the future.”
Professor Nigel Sherriff, Director of the Centre for Transforming Sexuality and Gender and Professor of Public Health and Health Promotion at the University of Brighton, said:
“Coastal communities often face significant health inequalities, but they also have rich creative and cultural networks that can play an important role in supporting wellbeing. This festival shows how creativity can help open up conversations about difficult experiences such as grief and loss, while bringing people together in supportive and meaningful ways. As the South East lead for the Coastal Community and Creative Health project, the University of Brighton is proud to support initiatives like this that demonstrate the real potential of community creativity to improve health and wellbeing.”
If you have any queries about this festival, please contact us at office@18hours.org.uk
If you have any queries about bereavement, please contact St. Michael’s Hospice at Bereavement@stmichaelshospice.com
Good Grief Hastings 2026 Programme
Skip ahead:
– Friday 22 May
– Saturday 23 May
– Sunday 24 May
– Monday 25 May
Friday 22 May
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10:30am (gather at 10:15am @ Information Kiosk, Alexandra Park, TN34 2LG)
Free (no booking required)
Duration: ~1hr on level ground
Beginning at the Information Kiosk by the old bowling green and finishing at Eat @ The Park Café, this gentle walk follows accessible paths through scenic gardens and woodland. This will be a space for reflection and connection, with the walk offering participants the opportunity to dedicate remembrance ribbons, which will later be displayed on the St Michael’s Hospice Remembrance Ribbon Tree.
– Biggerhouse film
3:30pm-4:30pm @ Arthur Easton Centre, St Michael’s Hospice, 25 Upper Maze Hill, St Leonards-on-Sea, TN38 0LB
Free, booking recommended
A short film screening followed by a conversation about death, grief and how we talk about loss. This 15-minute film is a collaboration between Biggerhouse Film and adults with learning differences which gently opens up conversations about death and dying. The screening will be followed by a discussion with the filmmaker, Stephen Clarke.
– The Community Choir
5:30pm-6:30pm @ Christ Church, St Leonard’s-on-Sea, Silchester Rd, Saint Leonards-on-sea TN37 6GL
Free (no booking required)
Join The Community Choir with St. Michael’s Hospice, led by The Music Well, for an uplifting sing-a-long of popular contemporary songs that rank highly in the UK funeral playlists. Whether you’ve experienced grief or not, singing with others promotes connection, community and healing.
Let’s lift the roof in remembrance!
– Prof. Mary Frances O’Connor
7pm-8pm @ Arthur Easton Centre, St Michael’s Hospice, 25 Upper Maze Hill, St Leonards-on-Sea, TN38 0LB
Free, booking recommended
When we love someone, they become encoded in our bodies and brains. And so, when they die, we feel this loss in every part of our being. In this session, renowned grief expert and neuroscientist Professor Mary-Frances O’Connor will explore what happens in our brain and body when we grieve, and share some of the ways that we can begin to adjust to our new reality. In conversation with Good Grief Festival Co-Director Dr Lesel Dawson, Mary-Frances will also offer practical tips to help us cope when life is tough and how grief can be a form of learning that offers opportunities for growth and change. Audience members will be able to ask questions.
BSL available upon booking.
Saturday 23 May
– Dolly Delicious & Xena Flame
10am & 11am @ Priory Meadow Shopping Centre, Queens Rd, Hastings TN34 1PH
Free (no booking required)
Meet popular local stilt‑walkers as they roam the town in their moth‑themed costumes.
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10am – 11:30am @ Isabel Blackman Centre, Winding St, Hastings TN34 3AT
Free, booking recommended
A welcoming space to talk openly about death, dying and life. Tea, coffee and cake available to purchase. Death Café is an informal gathering open to anyone who wants to share thoughts, questions and experiences around death in a relaxed, friendly setting.
11am – 3pm @ The Stade Open Space, TN34 3DW
Free (no booking required)
A welcoming community space for all ages, bringing together performances, creative activities, conversation and local organisations to open up discussion about grief, love and loss. Drop in throughout the afternoon for storytelling, singing, movement and making, alongside walkabout performances and puppetry. You might find yourself weaving, sharing stories or simply pausing for conversation.
The Marketplace also brings together organisations, practitioners and makers offering information, support and conversation around grief, loss and wellbeing. You will also find local doulas, celebrants and funeral directors sharing insight into the support they offer, alongside handmade ceramics, candles and other crafted objects created locally.
Stade Hall
11am & 12:30pm | The Thing About Goats – Baby Panda
A playful puppet show for younger audiences exploring loss and new beginnings, followed by a hands-on bell ringing workshop.
11:40am | Ashes to Admin – Evie King
A talk by writer Evie King, whose book Ashes to Admin draws on her work arranging council funerals for people with no family or funds. Through stories from the front line, she explores the practical and human realities of death and remembrance.
1:10pm | Singing for Wellbeing workshop – Soundcastle
Soundcastle are bringing a dynamic Singing for Wellbeing workshop to Good Grief Hastings. Join them to explore how you can use your voice to support yourself and those around you. No singing experience required! All welcome.
2pm | Tai Chi – Lou Requena
A gentle Tai Chi session using slow flowing movement and breath to support grounding, release and quiet resilience for those navigating grief and loss.
Stade Open Space
11am & 1:30pm | The Griefcase – Ben Watson
Join Keith, the Minister of Grief, on a walkabout storytelling adventure for all ages. Follow clues, gather lost words and help piece feelings back together.
11:30am & 12:45pm | Hodman & Sally – The Flying Buttresses
This world famous act, featuring two tiny backpackers, has delighted audiences at festivals and events all over the globe with its quick witted comedy and enchanting illusion. Using storytelling, puppetry and improvisation, characters ‘Hodman and Sally’ will melt your heart. These adorable explorers are on a mission to discover all they can about the outside world.
Noon & 2pm | Story Collector – Out of the Bag Theatre
Encounter the Story Collector and her cart of objects, words and images. Share a memory or add your own story, discovering how small moments can hold deeper meaning.
1pm | Silent Disco – Freedom Dance
Get lost in music whilst dancing with others at Freedom Dance Silent Disco. Movement and dance give the opportunity to release tension and shake out feelings whilst listening to music that connects us to our memories.
1:10pm | Singing for Wellbeing workshop – Soundcastle
Join a shared singing session celebrating the power of voices coming together, creating connection and collective expression through song.
11am-3pm | Gato Negro (Black Cat) – Gabriela Cespedes
A one-to-one miniature puppet performance set inside a tiny theatre. Black Cat, by Gabriela Cespedes explores the moment of passage from life to death. That intimate and peculiar moment of the last breath, when organic life ends.
11am-3pm | Weaving a Colourful Life – Claire Buckley
Contribute to a collaborative weaving project exploring colour, memory and connection. Participants are invited to weave colours that remind them of loved ones and meaningful moments in their lives.
– Double Elle Productions
2:30pm & 4:30pm @ The Frimley Centre, Hastings & Bexhill Mencap, 64 London Rd, St Leonards-on-Sea TN37 6AS
Free, booking recommended
Run Time: Approx. ~45m
Age Rating: 12+
Written by Lucy Pappas and Lisa Pope, and performed by Deborah Kearne and Lisa Pope, Departure Lounge follows two sisters who navigate grief, memory and family tensions, blending humour, honesty, song and movement to explore relationships and celebrate life alongside loss. The performances are followed by a Q&A.
– Bev Lee Harling
10am – 11:30am @ Isabel Blackman Centre, Winding St, Hastings TN34 3AT
Free, booking recommended
Run Time: Approx. ~70m
Singer, songwriter and storyteller Bev Lee Harling presents an evening of story and song exploring memories of life with her father and the bittersweet realities of dementia and his end of life. Blending original music with country classics, this intimate performance reflects on family, memory and the enduring power of music.
Sunday 24 May
– with Sue Mann (Hastings Runners)
10:30am (Gather at 10:15am) @ Hastings seafront (meet in front of Hastings Pier)
Free (no booking required)
Join Sue Mann and others for a friendly 5k run along the seafront, followed by an optional reflective talk on running through grief (see event below).
– A talk with Lisa Jackson
11:30am @ White Rock Hotel, 1-10 White Rock, Hastings TN34 1JU
Free (no booking required)
Writer and runner Lisa Jackson shares her personal story of grief after her husband of 30 years died, followed in quick succession by her sister and father. In this honest and hopeful talk she reflects on how running helped her navigate loss and find a way forward, and how it became part of rebuilding a joyful and purposeful life. Followed by book signing with books available to purchase.
– Comperéd by Ben Watson
1pm – 3pm @ Durbar Hall, Hastings Museum & Art Gallery, John’s Place, Bohemia Rd, Hastings TN34 1ET
Free, booking recommended
An afternoon of spoken word compéred by local favourite Ben Watson. Open to the public to come together and share their creative exploration of love and loss.
Storyteller Raven Hurste will begin the afternoon with their story The Keepers of Hearts, a faerie story in rhyme which is set in Hastings Old Town in 1850. Community members, including Warming Up The Homeless, who have been part of creative outreach workshops will also bring songs, poems and performances to share.
– Joseph Coelho
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3:30pm-4:30pm @ Durbar Hall, Hastings Museum & Art Gallery, John’s Place, Bohemia Rd, Hastings TN34 1ET
Free, booking recommended
Using his book ‘If All the World Were…’, former Children’s Laureate Joseph Coelho will do a gentle reading for families accompanied by sound. This will be followed by the opportunity to make a small memory book together to take away.
Storytelling and Clay-making Workshop
– Xanthe Gresham-Knight
6pm-8pm @ Durbar Hall, Hastings Museum & Art Gallery, John’s Place, Bohemia Rd, Hastings TN34 1ET
Free, booking recommended
“When my mother died, I immersed myself in two things: the Greek myth of Ceres and Kore and old cine films.”
Storyteller Xanthe Gresham leads an evening of storytelling performance, song and film followed by a clay making workshop inspired by the Sheela Na Gig symbol and Neolithic Goddess sculpture. Framed around women’s experiences, the show explores the ancient tradition of lament through the lens of personal experience, myth and nature’s ability to move through spirals of grief and renewal.
Monday 25 May
– Dr Catherine Kelly
11:30am @ White Rock Hotel, 1-10 White Rock, Hastings TN34 1JU
Free, booking recommended
Like so many, Dr. Catherine Kelly experienced the healing potential of blue spaces when she turned to the sea to navigate grief following her mother’s sudden death. Join us to share how and why water can help us to cope with bereavement and loss.
Free (no booking required)
An afternoon of free short films exploring grief, love and loss, created by regional filmmakers. A curated selection will play on a continuous loop, so you’re welcome to drop in at any point. All films will include subtitles. Seating is limited for each viewing, so please keep this in mind when planning your visit.
2pm @ Fisherman’s Museum, Rock-a-Nore Rd, Hastings TN34 3DW
Soul Films Talk & Film Screening:
Sybil AhMane & Wendy Pye introduce Soul Films – sensitively produced short films that remember and celebrate someone who has died or is nearing end of life
2pm-5pm @ Fisherman’s Museum, Rock-a-Nore Rd, Hastings TN34 3DW &
Warrior Square Gardens, St Leonards-on-Sea, TN37 6BS
‘Dear Future’ Films, Rebecca Marshall
- ‘Of Dying’ A film-poem
- ‘Bee Fever’ 15min documentary of Angie Biltcliffe using her love of beekeeping as a metaphor to understand death and the cycle of life
- ‘Belonging’ Four film-poems filmed throughout 2024 about the cycle of life and finding a sense of belonging in the seasons
2pm-5pm @ Warrior Square Gardens, St Leonards-on-Sea, TN37 6BS
Young People’s films
Young filmmakers responding to the festival themes of grief, love and loss, in partnership with Talent Accelerator, De La Warr Pavilion
– Rebecca Marshall
Gather at 7pm @ The Stade Open Space, TN34 3DW
Free (no booking required)
‘Bright Hollow’ is a tender, luminous meditation on grief as a journey – an ode to resilience, collective spirit, and the healing found in coming together.
Join us for a unique outdoor arts experience by the sea, bringing together film poetry, spoken word, live music and a fire-sculpture in a shared, gentle journey, featuring artists such as Rebecca E Marshall (Dear Future Films), Clare Whistler (Collaborative artist/performer), Leigh Dyer (metal sculptor), and Joanna Lawrence (composer).
This special promenade event invites audiences of all ages to become part of a ‘pebble orchestra’ as we take a slow walk along Winch Road, passing lines of poetry, and will conclude with live music and a fire sculpture by the shore.
Please note:
There will be a short procession to Rock-A-Nore. If you have limited mobility please join us at the far end of Rock-A-Nore car park.