The Phoenix site has a long and rich history, first as a place of industry during the time of John Every’s Ironworks then as a centre of creativity and enterprise. Many will have fond memories of the early 2000s when the site played host to artists and makers and legendary club nights. But most, too, will be familiar with the Phoenix historic centre’s recent decline and fall into disrepair, after failed redevelopment, fire and flood.
Over the past few years, the site has become increasingly disconnected from the rest of Lewes – to the point that it’s easy to forget that it is just a stone’s throw from the centre of town. So while we wait for planning permission for the new Phoenix neighbourhood, we feel that – as custodians of this area – we have a duty to use its spaces wisely and generously, injecting life back into an under-utlised part of town, which still means a lot to a lot of people.
Working with local partners, we’re continuing to host events – including a music festival from Hilltop Sessions and spray-painting workshops – with most taking place in the shed at 14 Phoenix Place (BN7 1JX). There's a huge appetite for this – as demonstrated by the recent Africa Day, the Frolic party in June and our Dinner with Purpose fundraiser and After Party, where 350 people turned up to dance in a (then) bracingly cold warehouse in December to raise more than £7,500 for Lewes Food banks.
These ‘meanwhile uses’ not only provide a host of fun things to do and add to Lewes’s rich cultural calendar, but are designed to capture the spirit of the neighbourhood we’re trying to create here – one that has shared joy and strong community built into its fabric. See below for the latest events.
9 September
Hilltop Sessions Festival
the team behind Hilltop Sessions will host the first Hilltop Sessions Festival here on the Phoenix at 14 Phoenix Place. A full day of live music (1pm-1am) with 19 performers over two stages, including The Great Malarkey, Sam Walker, The Dead Reds and Ben Ottewell from Gomez. All profits from the event will be donated to the Lewes food banks and Starfish Youth Music. More information and tickets at hilltopsessions.co.uk/festival
The Phoenix site has a long and rich history, first as a place of industry during the time of John Every’s Ironworks then as a centre of creativity and enterprise. Many will have fond memories of the early 2000s when the site played host to artists and makers and legendary club nights. But most, too, will be familiar with the Phoenix historic centre’s recent decline and fall into disrepair, after failed redevelopment, fire and flood.
Over the past few years, the site has become increasingly disconnected from the rest of Lewes – to the point that it’s easy to forget that it is just a stone’s throw from the centre of town. So while we wait for planning permission for the new Phoenix neighbourhood, we feel that – as custodians of this area – we have a duty to use its spaces wisely and generously, injecting life back into an under-utlised part of town, which still means a lot to a lot of people.
Working with local partners, we’re continuing to host events – including a music festival from Hilltop Sessions and spray-painting workshops – with most taking place in the shed at 14 Phoenix Place (BN7 1JX). There's a huge appetite for this – as demonstrated by the recent Africa Day, the Frolic party in June and our Dinner with Purpose fundraiser and After Party, where 350 people turned up to dance in a (then) bracingly cold warehouse in December to raise more than £7,500 for Lewes Food banks.
These ‘meanwhile uses’ not only provide a host of fun things to do and add to Lewes’s rich cultural calendar, but are designed to capture the spirit of the neighbourhood we’re trying to create here – one that has shared joy and strong community built into its fabric. See below for the latest events.
9 September
Hilltop Sessions Festival
the team behind Hilltop Sessions will host the first Hilltop Sessions Festival here on the Phoenix at 14 Phoenix Place. A full day of live music (1pm-1am) with 19 performers over two stages, including The Great Malarkey, Sam Walker, The Dead Reds and Ben Ottewell from Gomez. All profits from the event will be donated to the Lewes food banks and Starfish Youth Music. More information and tickets at hilltopsessions.co.uk/festival