Artists Open
Houses Summer 2021

Artists Open Houses Festival June 2021

The AOH Festival is here! Artists across the city and beyond are throwing open their doors each June weekend to welcome you back inside! Over 90 venues are showing work of almost a thousand artists, with more ‘Virtual’ Open Houses available to view online. Painters, sculptors, printmakers, ceramicists, jewellers, textile artists and more will be offering you the chance to browse and buy, marking a key moment in the city’s creative and cultural recovery. The summer starts here!

Pick up a free brochure at main stations, Dome Box office, Warren and Spiegeltent – or from all Open Houses during festival weekends.

June 2021 AOH Festival weekends:
May 29,30,31 (Bank Holiday) | June 5&6 | 12&13 | 19&20 | 26&27  

See what’s on

Artists Open Houses is delighted to be welcoming visitors to our festival in its new June slot. Alongside Brighton Fringe, and following on from Brighton Festival, AOH is excited to be a part of the cultural renewal and recovery of our city. The AOH Festival will be offering visitors the first glimpse of brilliant new work from artists and makers emerging from the months of lockdown.

This year, many Open Houses are also offering art in the garden, so you can make the most of our move to a summer month viewing artwork outside in artists’ gardens. As well as visiting an array of inspiring artworks in Open Houses in the city, you can take a day out to the countryside, exploring our new Beyond Brighton trail, leading out along the coast to villages across the Downs. And don’t miss our wonderful student and emerging artists’ exhibitions, sited in central Brighton shops.

Alongside the regular AOH Festival, where artists welcome visitors into their homes, studios and gardens, we are offering a new Virtual Open Houses strand.  This includes online video tours round artists’ houses and studios, as well individual online galleries. In real or virtual settings, you can hear about the artists’ work, the processes of making and ideas behind it and buy work directly from the artists and makers.

The Artist Open Houses festival is a community event, encouraging participation from artists at all stages of their careers, from school and college students, through young emergent artists, to established and professional artists and makers. Many charities supporting artists with mental health issues, learning disabilities and older artists in residential care are taking part, reflecting their experiences of the last few months through their art.

More than ever this year it is important to support our local artists and makers who help to make Brighton and Hove the vibrant city that it is. Many AOH artists have made great use of the last few months, finding space to explore new ideas and ways of working. This festival offers the perfect opportunity to discover really exciting, inspiring and distinctive new work, as well as providing a great day out around the city and beyond.

All venues will be Covid safe, maintaining social distance guidelines, providing facemasks and hand sanitiser in accordance with government Covid-19 law.

AOH would like to thank Arts Council England and Brighton and Hove City Council for their valuable support over the last few months.

Who can take part in AOH?
Anyone living in the 01273 telephone area can take part in the Artists Open Houses (AOH) Festival as an Open House venue. Registration costs can be shared by all artists exhibiting in one venue, meaning that taking part in the festival can be affordable for everyone.

If you live outside the 01273 telephone area, you can still take part in AOH festivals by becoming a ‘guest artist’ exhibiting your work in someone else’s Open House. Take a look at the AOH Directory of artists who are looking for houses to show in.

Whether you’re just starting out in your career, returning after a break, or are a professional and established artist, the Artists Open Houses is a great place to exhibit and be noticed.

“ Artists Open Houses connect artists and makers with an audience of art-lovers, buyers and industry professionals – and is also fun to take part in, exhibiting with your friends in your own home.”
Judy Stevens, Artists Open Houses Festival Director

For more information contact [email protected]