Artists Open Houses

Brighton’s Artists Open Houses Festival is an integral part of the Brighton Festival which runs every year in May. It’s an opportunity for local artists to open their houses and studios to the public, and for us it’s great to see the art in it’s own home, often where hours of work have been undertaken to produce the final product.
There are numerous trails that run in various locations that make it easy to see a few houses in one go. Pick up a brochure to help you pick out certain places that you want to visit. Alternatively, you can wonder around Brighton at any time during May and usually see a house advertised in most locations.
The art includes painting, photography, sculpture, ceramics, jewelery and other crafts — it really has something for everyone. Entrance is free and many houses offer tea and cakes to purchase while you are there. Don’t forget your purse — you will want to buy something, even if it’s just a greeting card or two.
Most houses are open Saturday and Sunday, between 11am and 6pm, but check in advance as opening times can vary.
The AOH are truly another Brighton gem. If you don’t get to do anything else during festival time, make sure you visit a house or two, you may discover the art of your dreams!

The artists’ open houses are one of the best bits of the festival for me. They’re a free opportunity to see a technicolour spectrum of art from grisaille to oils, with every style and medium under the sun seemingly represented by at least one or two. An excellent brochure gives a few words on each artist, their previous work and style, but my favourite way to do things is just to wander around with no expectations and see what I come up with. I’ve seen a lot of art I wouldn’t perhaps have chosen to see this way, but I’ve also come up with a few gems including Christine Harfleet’s brilliant fused-​glass landscapes (like boiled sweets, or Venetian chandeliers, but with a definite earthy bent to the colours. The technique is fascinating too.) It’s worth making the effort to explore the out-​of-​town independent trail, for example, or the Rottingdean or Ouse Valley ones — if you’ve got a day to devote to it, it’s a great mini-​adventure out of Brighton on the art hunt.
I’ve never bought art from the Artists Open Houses, but I live in hope. If there’s a way I’m going to own original art, this is definitely it — some pieces are remarkably inexpensive (not many, but some) and it would definitely be a great way to pick up your first piece — straight from the artists. It would come with information from the source, which is something you almost certainly wouldn’t get in a gallery — you might get a few notes or a chat with a curator, but how often do you get to talk to the artists themselves? Also, you get to see where your art was made, which personally I find fascinating — possibly because I’m incurably nosy. However, there’s no denying that being let into someone’s house or studio is a personal experience, and a bit of an insight into their personality. I think this will be a staple of my May for some time to come.

A great yearly festival for art lovers and art makers which opens up private spaces for public consumption. If you are looking to buy an original piece of art to jazz up your pad it is probable you will find a bargain in one of the many homes that open up to the public. If you just like the idea of seeing what goes on behind closed doors in an art sense, this is a great way to have a snoop. You will get a massive spectrum of artists taking part, from wobbly first timers to full blown professionals, so sometimes expect to laugh out loud as well as be aesthetically impressed. Be nice about the really bad stuff though.

This is one of those things that make Brighton a great place to live. As a major feature of the Brighton festival, expect all the artists and bohemian types to come out of the woodwork and open their houses to the public.
Stretching across Brighton, you are likely to find at least one open house (and usually a lot more) in any area of the city. Also, you get a much more hands on experience and contact with the actual producers of the work, compared to a gallery owner/​agent angling for a percentage.
I have been a keen pilgrim around the city for the last ten years. Each season has been unique. There are some stalwart’s of the circuit, but always a diversity you will not find in a more traditional exhibition setting. I would recommend buying a saver ticket for the bus and then dedicating a day on an adventure about the city. It’s the kind of event that you can plan well on a route finder and then follow the map on an artistic extraveganza.
If you do nothing else during the festival, the nat least take the time to stop by any houses you see ‘open’ for the duration. Your visit will be well worth your while!

If you love art and like the idea of buying a new painting, print, canvas, vase or sculpture, you want to make sure you are in town during the annual Artists Open Houses. This year’s event takes place every weekend throughout May starting with Sat 1 & Sun 2 and ending on Sat 22 and Sun 23 May. The brochures haven’t been distributed yet but I’m led to believe there’s over a thousand artists taking part.
As the title suggests, the aims and ethos behind AOH is the oppurtunity to buy work directly from local artists in their own houses, flats and studios. Admission is free and the majority of venues are open from 11am-​6pm allowing you time to wander from one open house to another. All the venues are listed in the brochure with a small description of the artists taking place and the type of work they specialise in.
What makes the event so special is the fact you can see a staggering volume and scope of work you might not discover otherwise. Sometimes it’s screenprints, giclee prints, letterpress and mixed media canvases like bleach on flags, other times its all ceramics, sculptures and hand-​made jewellery. I have to admit I’ve never made it to more than 30 different venues but I enjoy the challenge or walking from one house to the next, not knowing what to expect.