Devonshire Ward Councillors establish the Driving Devonshire Forward Steering Committee to coordinate efforts to improve the Ward.

A grant from the Coastal Communities Fund supports the refurbishment of three shops empty for over 10 years: 67–69 Seaside Road, 1–5 Seaside and 137–139 Seaside Road.

Devonshire Collective (DC) is born out of a partnership with Eastbourne Borough Council. The plan from B&R Productions is to establish a creative presence in Seaside to stimulate regeneration.

DC opens with three venues in the shops. DC1 is a café/events space, DC2 is artist studios; and DC3 a workshop and community space. Our opening programme, Threshold, offers a mix of visual and performing arts, workshops, comedy nights, networking, music and poetry.

A group of artists come together to form Eastbourne Studio Pottery, developing an open-access pottery space in DC2. They go on to welcome thousands of students to their classes.

DC supports local artist Judith Alder with a residency and solo exhibition at the DC1. The success sees DC deepen its commitment to local artists and community groups.

A new Board identify the need for stronger leadership and a sustainable business model. DC1 and DC3 become VOLT and as DC Learn Studio respectively. Eastbourne Studio Pottery take over DC2 and grow their business.

VOLT opens with a programme of solo exhibitions by Bex Massey, Olivia Sterling, Lucy Woodhouse and Jonathan Murphy – plus a community exhibition in collaboration with Eastbourne Mencap. The programme explores compelling, socially relevant topics.

Edward Ball is hired as DC’s first Director. His focus is to increase DC’s impact locally, establish strategic partnerships with community organisations, and raise ambition.

DC launches a range of learning programmes that continue to this day – Sticky Fingers, Networx After School Club and the Primary Art Leaders Network.

An Arts Council England Project Grant allows DC to deliver a year-long programme of socially engaged commissions by diverse and underrepresented artists.

We commission Harriet Bowman, Mina Heydari-Waite, Steph Huang, Mark Corfield-Moore and Tomoya Matsuzaki to realise exhibitions of new work at VOLT.

DC becomes an Arts Council England’s National Portfolio Organisation (NPO). When the Turner Prize comes to town, we are a key partner in Eastbourne ALIVE.

Polly Wright joins DC as the first Curator, leading on exhibition projects with Rottingdean Bazaar, Dan Guthrie, Ed Webb-Ingall and India Harvey.

We launch a Community Advisory Panel (CAP), comprising eight local residents to help us shape our future direction.

A National Lottery Community Fund grant allows us to co-create a growing project – bringing green space to four residential streets close to VOLT. We work with Cella Collective – a group of young architects, makers, and writers – to launch Grow Club.

Artist and filmmaker Sam Kaufman develops Volta Artists’ Moving Image, a supportive monthly peer forum for artists and curators working with the moving image in the South East.

DC works with artist Navine G. Dossos and in partnership with Towner Eastbourne to develop Riviera: a public artwork that looks to reflect the day-to-day lived experience of belonging. Multi-cultural communities are celebrated through a textile project visible in both domestic and public space, such as community centres and outdoor awnings.

Emma Hunt joins as Chair in July 2025, bringing a wealth of skills in strategic and capital development, leading a refreshed Board including new Board Directors Amanprit Sandhu, Leah Swain, Miles Thomas, Cheng Choo, and Mike Ogilvie, who joins as Treasurer. Guided by our new Board leadership, we refresh our strategic vision and strengthen our commitment to the vibrant creative ecology of our Devonshire neighbourhood.

Working with our Community Advisory Panel, DC and Cella Collective devise and develop the Pop-Up Potting Shed: a mobile travelling allotment for the Devonshire ward.

DC is honoured with the Creative Excellence Award at the 2025 Eastbourne Business Awards.

In celebration of our upcoming 10th anniversary, DC launches DC10: a year-long programme of exhibitions, events, and fundraising. The celebration gives us the chance to share what we’ve achieved together over the past ten years and reveal our exciting plans for the years ahead. In October, we launch a £150k development campaign with a special fundraising dinner that raises £35k to ensure we change even more lives in Devonshire Ward in the coming years.

With a new hire and a promotion, DC creates two new senior leadership positions to reflect our growth and ambition for the decade ahead. Louis Foyle joins in a newly created role of General Manager, and Polly Wright is promoted from Curator to Head of Programme.

DC celebrates some major funding successes for our tenth anniversary programming. We receive £42,500 from Arts Council England Touring Projects for Where We Touch the Archive, a national touring exhibition responding to the work of artist and activist Tessa Boffin (1960–1993). The exhibition opens at DC in July, before touring to Portsmouth, Nottingham and Brighton later in 2026 and early 2027.

DC also receives £92,196 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund for Discover, Celebrate, Grow: a creative programme that sees us work with local people who don’t normally engage with heritage projects.

Running throughout 2026 and coinciding with Devonshire Collective’s tenth anniversary, the project brings the hidden histories of Eastbourne’s communities to life through creative partnerships, community engagement, storytelling and performance. It culminates in the Seaside Road exhibition at our VOLT gallery in Winter 2026.