Gallery57

Gallery57 sits right on Arundel's doorstep, which makes it a handy stop if you're based at South Downs Caravan Park - literally a ten-minute walk away. It's a contemporary art space that punches above its weight for a small Sussex town, showing work from emerging and established artists across painting, sculpture, and mixed media.

The gallery itself is intimate rather than sprawling. You won't need more than an hour here unless you're genuinely absorbed by what's on, which varies throughout the year. The exhibitions tend toward the thoughtful end of things - experimental work rather than safe landscape paintings, though they do those too. It's the sort of place where you either click with what's being shown or you don't, and that's fine.

This works best for anyone serious about art rather than casual browsers looking for something to fill a rainy afternoon. If you're the type who gets genuine pleasure from contemporary practice, it's absolutely worth a look. Families with teenagers might get something from it; younger kids will likely find it a bit dull after fifteen minutes.

Arundel itself is charming enough - the castle dominates everything, naturally - and the river walk is proper lovely. Gallery57 fits neatly into a morning's exploring before heading back to the caravan park for lunch. Admission details aren't readily available online, so ring ahead or just turn up and see. It's the kind of local spot that operates on its own schedule and welcomes drop-ins.