Dates and first details announced for Artists Open Houses 2024  

Artist’s Open Houses returns this May, with venues across Brighton & Hove opening their doors and welcoming visitors to explore a variety of arts and crafts. Organisers are delighted to be welcoming even more artists and venues to exhibit this Spring, with over 180 venues already registered to take part.  

Now in its 43rd year, Artist’s Open Houses (AOH) is thrilled to reveal this year’s cover design by Brighton-based textile artist Kate Jenkins, who is best known for her food-focussed playful crochet creations. We are delighted to have her woven interpretation of the classic seaside dish of fish & chips on the May 2025 brochure cover, which will be available across Brighton & Hove to direct art and craft enthusiasts to open houses across the city this Spring. Kate Jenkins will also be opening her studio to visitors during the festival, make sure you visit her Mews studio space for a delightful array of whimsical textile works.  

AOH have also revealed a few of the amazing spaces that will open their doors for visitors this year, with more to come once full listings are online.  

Hygge House returns this year to showcase contemporary makers in their astonishing Scandi-inspired house and pottery studio, where homemade cakes are served in their garden and ‘Meet the Maker’ events will take place throughout the festival.  

Studio55 by Lucy Delano is back for AOH 2025, and will be presenting Art of Pepita x Fatboy Slim. Eight of Pepita Coffee’s artists will be showing a selection of their artwork, alongside their own limited edition, beautiful and reusable coffee tins filled with superb quality Pepita coffee.

Dion Salvador Lloyd celebrates his 25th year of taking part in AOH, by again opening his stunning Victorian home to share contemporary oil paintings.

Clara Wilkinson is returning to open her Regency home across three weekends, sharing with audiences a new series of vibrant oil paintings, watercolours and giclee prints. Plus, she will be joined by a local baker for delicious cakes for visitors to her home.  

Gallery Lock In present the debut exhibition of Brighton Alternative photography, showcasing artworks by founders Jemma Day and Ainoa Burgos. The exhibition focuses on the combination of traditional and experimental techniques, stretching notions of photography.

Portland Place hosts a selection of contemporary artisan goods for a beautiful home, from ceramics to textiles and prints.     At Regency Town House, visitors will discover two exhibitions across this historic space. No Hard Shoulder merges history with the present and looks to the future with a group exhibition while DARKER brings together a collective of six artists who are pushing boundaries to create a multi-disciplinary exhibition in the atmospheric setting of this Georgian home.  

AOH is a unique opportunity to interact with local artists and makers, and to discover their work in a variety of venues from Hove and Portslade to Fiveways, Seven Dials to Rottingdean and out to Ditchling, Newhaven and the villages beyond. When you choose to purchase work during the festival, you are safe in the knowledge that your investment will directly support the emerging and established artists and makers.  

“It is fantastic to share the launch of the Artist’s Open Houses May Festival and Kate’s witty cover image of Brighton favourite Fish & Chips,£ said AOH Festival Director, Judy Stevens. “Artists Open Houses is a much anticipated event in the calendars of all those interested in art and craft across Sussex and we look forward to welcoming visitors in our 43rd year. We’re really grateful to the many artists and makers who continue to participate, sharing their homes and studios, enabling so many artists to exhibit their work each year. We are also delighted to welcome new faces to the AOH community, and can’t wait to see their work this Spring.”

Artists Open Houses (AOH) helps artists connect with audiences in self-curated, non-traditional art spaces; which means usually (but not exclusively) artists’ own homes. To this end they co-ordinate and promote open house festivals, during May alongside the Brighton and Fringe Festivals, and a Winter festival in November/ December. Involvement in AOH festivals is open to anyone living within the 01273 landline telephone code area. The ethos is inclusive rather than selective, encouraging participation from artists and makers of all ages, at all stages of their careers and from all parts of the community, including school and college students and artists who might otherwise be excluded or marginalised from the art world mainstream.

AOH is also commemorating a long history of education partnerships, and students and emerging artists are especially welcome this year. Many of its founders were working in the region’s art colleges when the movement began in the 1980s; they recognised the enormous benefits that working on projects alongside professional artists brings to art students. AOH is pleased to continue to provide this platform to support students and graduates following the disruption of the pandemic.

Artists Open House comes to venues across Brighton & Hove and Sussex on Sat 3 – Mon 5, Sat 10 – Sun 11, Sat 17 – Sun 18, Sat 24 – Mon 26 May 2025.

www.aoh.org.uk  

‍