Artists Open Houses

Artists Open Houses offers one of the most personal ways to discover Brighton's creative community. Rather than visiting a single gallery or exhibition, visitors follow trails through neighbourhoods, stepping inside artists' homes, working studios and independent exhibition spaces to discover original art, meet makers and explore the stories behind their work.

The programme brings together a diverse range of creative practices, from painting, photography and illustration to ceramics, jewellery, textiles, sculpture and printmaking. Some venues showcase established artists; others introduce emerging makers whose work might otherwise be encountered only within a small studio or local creative network. Many pieces are available to buy directly from the artists, making the experience as much about supporting independent creativity as it is about looking at art.

Part of the pleasure is the setting itself. A visit might lead through a colourful residential street, into a garden studio or upstairs to an exhibition in a space that would ordinarily remain private. Each house has its own atmosphere, and the journey between venues becomes part of the experience.

Taking place in May and again in December, Artists Open Houses offers two different opportunities to explore Brighton's artistic life. It is an invitation to slow down, wander, talk to makers and discover the extraordinary amount of creativity hidden behind the city's front doors.