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We will again be supporting artists through our 2026 Artist Residency opportunities in Newhaven Art Space during Spring – applications have now closed. We look forwards to announcing the participants and inviting you to join them as they share their work and experience during the upcoming Open Studio days.
Newhaven Open Call returns to the BN9 Studio in March, opening on the 12th. It’s a significant event for us with the ambition to be truly democratic and meaningful for all those taking part and visiting. Join us at the preview event on Saturday 14th March 5-8 pm.
In 2018 the first Newhaven Open Call took place in the then UTC Riverside, now Marine Workshops, with about 60 people taking part. Organised by artists working in Newhaven, it was a call out to see who else is making art ‘out there’. Making art can be an isolated experience and it would be interesting to see if we could bring people together. It was also apparent that many people, who haven’t been to Art Schools, do in fact make art work at home too, and just might enjoy being involved. But it was important that this was going to be free to take part, and with no usual selection process nor picking any ‘winners’.
We created a coming together of communities to celebrate and share everyone’s creativity.
With the closure of the Marine Workshops building in 2019 the Open Call was held in rooms above The Ship Hotel in the High Street and also included repurposing empty shops as exhibition spaces with participant numbers growing to over 120 in 2021. The most recent version in 2024 saw over 220 people taking part. Additionally, over the years we have included art made during workshops for communities, led by professional artists. This has included the Newhaven Wellbeing Centre, MENCAP and youth groups at SCDA and much of this work has been supported by Arts Council England, Newhaven Enterprise Zone and Sussex Community Foundation.
Art really does have a power to change places and peoples lives and we are hoping that this year’s event will continue to do this.
Recent events at BN9 Studio: Nick Marsh and Helen Turner
‘The Ghost and the Chair’ an exhibition of recent and new work by the founders of Newhaven Art Space, Nick Marsh and Helen Turner.
15 August – 6 September, BN9 Studio, Marine Workshops, Newhaven, BN9 0ER
Recent exhibitions in Newhaven Art Space
‘Small Works’
13 – 29 November 2025
‘Jeremy Moon and Robert Moon’
8 May – 7 June 2025
‘ONE DAY – the free art ed. programme’
14 December 2024
‘PAPERWORK’
14 November – 7 December 2024
‘OUTCOMES’
6 – 22 September 2024 an ARTWAVE event
‘NEWHAVEN OPEN CALL 2024′
23 August – 8 September 2024 at BN9 Studio, Marine Workshops
‘GRADUATE ARTISTS’
20 June – 13 July 2024
‘COLLECTION’
16 May – 1 June 2024
‘WINTER WELLBEING’
1 & 2 March 2024
‘KARLA BLACK’
21 September – 2 December 2023
NEWHAVEN ART SPACE…. a High Street gallery and project space for the visual arts
We are developing and delivering programmes of cultural activity made by and for the communities of our town whilst supporting artists. Pay us a visit and become part of our community. Check gallery page for exhibition dates and opening times.
Since 2018 we have run scheduled art programmes for local communities, especially those disadvantaged through circumstance or on a path of mental health recovery.
The most recent Newhaven Open Call exhibition was held in September 2024 over two sites in Newhaven Town Centre. Over 220 artists took part and fuller details of the exhibition can be found on the Open Call page. The Open Call provides an opportunity for artists to come together, exhibit and be part of a wider community and curatorial event. It was also on Lewes District Councils ‘Artwave’ trail. We intend to run the next Open Call in winter 2023.
