The biggest problem with the Artists' Open Houses is that there's simply not enough time to visit them all, but I enjoy the delightful serendipity of cycling around Brighton and Hove and spotting an Open House banner by complete chance, or searching out one hidden in places you'd not normally go. The Sussex County Arts Club (not to be confused with the Sussex Arts Club!) is tucked away behind Bond Street in a collection of rickety wooden cottages, with what must be the most ancient toilet in Brighton! Though not strictly speaking an Open House, it is part of the Central Brighton Artists Trail, and its sole function is to provide drop-in life drawing, painting and sculpture sessions to Brighton's artistic community. Currently, some 20-30 different artists are exhibiting, including the up-and-coming star and BP portrait award winner Darvish, with a couple of very explicit oil paintings.

The sheer size, variety and excellence of the visual art on offer in the Open Houses rather puts the main festival in the shade, with its dull concerts (where are the big names?) and book signings that seem more like thinly veiled PR opportunities than proper programmed artistic events (and many of them are not even in Brighton, but far off Charleston). So save your money, take a trip round the absolutely free Open Houses and spend it on something that will give you lasting pleasure, which like Sam Toft's originals, may even go up in value!
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