Award update
On 26 September 2026 the annual award ceremony of the European Museum Academy was hosted in Alicante, Spain.
Huge congratulations go to the National Museum of Contemporary Art (EMST), Athens who were announced as the winner of the Art Museum Award 2026.
We are very proud to have received a Special Commendation for Innovative Practice.
The jury said: “Hastings Contemporary is doing what many would see as impossible, turning the harshest critic into the closest collaborator. This is an exceptional approach to audience engagement. These relationships extend beyond individual exhibitions, including the safeguarding of local oral histories and new partnerships with universities and other coastal communities. The ecological crisis facing our maritime environment, cutting across nature, society, history and future, is the source of creative and emotional power for this standout museum, redefining this local museum as an important global voice.”
July 2026
We are over the moon to be named one of six finalists for the European Museum Academy’s Art Museum Award 2026.
The award celebrates art museums across Europe that use art in innovative ways to engage with the issues facing society today, recognising museums that place their social role at the heart of what they do.
The jury said:
“Hastings Contemporary is an ambitious independent art museum that combines high-quality contemporary programming with a deep commitment to its coastal community and environment. Through exhibitions, educational projects and socio-environmental initiatives, it demonstrates how a regional institution can become an influential cultural and civic presence. Indeed, the museum redefines the role that a regional museum can play by embracing even the hardest-to-reach audiences, turning critics into friends and finding a common artistic language together.”
We’re incredibly proud to be recognised alongside five outstanding museums from across Europe:
- EMST – National Museum of Contemporary Art Athens, Greece
- FENIX Museum of Migration, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Museum Gugging, Klosterneuburg, Austria
- National Gallery of Slovenia, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Our Director Kathleen Soriano said, “It is an honour to be recognised by our peers in Europe. The recognition comes as Hastings Contemporary redoubles its commitment to ocean futures and sustainability, exploring the relationship between art, coastal communities and the changing marine environment.
This nomination reflects the commitment of our team, artists, partners and community to making Hastings Contemporary a place where art creates connection, sparks conversations, and responds to the challenges of our time.”
Read more on the European Museum Academy’s website.