Gavin Henderson was a great champion and supporter of the Open Houses, but in recent years the Open Houses – and the visual arts in general – have not sat comfortably with the other Festivals. There is an presumption amongst the snobbier sections of the 'official' Festival that because the Artists Open Houses is a home-grown movement, it can't be any good. But remember: Brighton is the chosen home of hundreds of migrant artists, who made a positive decision to live and work here, so has far more than its fair share of creative people than other cities. So while some Open Houses may contain the work of amateur 'natives' (and what's wrong with that!), you are also more than likely to encounter the work of internationally acclaimed artists, professional illustrators and makers on your trails around the houses.

The Artists Open Houses is the biggest unified art event in the UK – full of artists that are self-motivated enough to promote their own work. And it is all free. Of course, there will be some young and not-so-young up-and-coming artists exhibiting – it's a great way for their emerging talent to gain experience and a foothold in the art world. And for the smart visitor, a fantastic way to buy art direct from great artists while it is still affordable.

For further information, listen to my podcast here.

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