Celebrate - Support - Promote-Nurture
Here at Sussex Contemporary, we celebrate, support, and promote contemporary artists, makers, and craftspeople, providing them with opportunities to showcase their work.
We have a vibrant annual programme of four major exhibitions, two national and two regional, for Sussex-linked creatives.
In 2025, we introduced democratic exhibition opportunities into our programming to increase the support we offer within the creative sector and to provide the chance to be included in curated exhibitions.
Our annual exhibition, The Sussex, is the largest showcase of art by living artists with a connection to Sussex in the world. It attracts thousands of visitors annually and is open to artists, makers, and craftspeople at all stages of their careers.
Alongside our exhibitions, we also provide a series of workshops and talks, called
'The Business of Art' These talks and workshops are carefully tailored to support the creative practices of artists, makers, and craftspeople, helping them achieve greater commercial success
ODYSSEY 2026
Efflorescence 2026
THE SUSSEX 2026
CREATIVE OPPORTUNITIES
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CREATIVE OPPORTUNITIES *
What we do
It started with one major regional exhibition in 2022, and now, as we end our fourth year in 2025, we have an annual programme of four exhibitions, along with our dynamic programme of workshops and talks, THE BUSINESS OF ART.
We now work with creatives and collectors from across the UK, creating new and dynamic exhibitions that have raised the profile of our exhibitions and the individual artists who participate.
2026 sees us delivering major partnership projects as we embark upon the next chapter of Sussex Contemporary.
In October 2025, a groundbreaking long-term partnership with HASTINGS CONTEMPORARY was announced publicly. Working together to drive a revenue-sharing collaboration allows us to contribute to the economy of the existing publicly funded charity sector of the industry.
We will be announcing another major partnership in the coming weeks…
The Sussex 2026
Sussex has a rich creative heritage. Be part of it!
ART EXHIBITION
The Sussex 2026 will be the fifth year of our annual major showcase of Sussex-linked artists and makers.
2024 & 2025 saw us move to a new venue and a larger exhibition space along the Sussex coast in Newhaven.
Delivering this prominent annual open call across the county is a key part of our strategy.
LOCATION
In November 2026, we head back to Newhaven and The Marine Workshops in Railway Quay. This stunning building was initially constructed in 1882 to house several engineering workshops and was used to repair train and ship engines.
We will reside on the top floor during the 2026 exhibition during November.
Exhibition Open To The Public
7/8/9/13/14/15/16/20/21/22/23/27/28/29 November 2026 - 10 am - 4 pm
OPEN CALL
We invite artists linked to Sussex to submit work in any media for consideration by our judges for inclusion in this year’s major exhibition, THE SUSSEX 2026.
Artists can be full-time, part-time, amateur, or professional, but must either have been born in Sussex, educated here, or live/work in the county.
The submission platform closes on 14th September 2026 at 23:59
THEME
The theme for THE SUSSEX 2025 is:
Shelter
Artworks can be created in various media, including, but not limited to, painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, photography, ceramics, mixed media, and illustration.
Artwork must be original work created by you, the artist.
COMMUNITY
We are planning several community events, projects, and creative opportunities surrounding the exhibition.
The Business of Art will move to Newhaven for the month, and we are building on the pop-up fairs and markets we produced in 2024.
JUDGES
Each year, we have a panel of independent and expert judges who have the unenviable task of choosing which Sussex local artists will be featured and who will win the art prizes.
Judges to be announced in January 2026.
WHAT WE DO
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EXHIBITIONS
Sussex Contemporary runs a vibrant programme of art exhibitions, a mix of national and regional opportunities presented in Sussex.
After 3 years of running selected and judged projects, we introduced democratic exhibitions into our annual programming. This has been done in the belief that well-curated exhibitions bring cohesion to themed exhibitions regardless of how the work came together.
We are nomadic, allowing us to show cross-country, locations include:
BRIGHTON, DITCHLING, LEWES, NEWHAVEN, HASTINGS, EAST GRINSTEAD, PLUMPTON.
With our planning reaching as far forward as 9 years, we are fully committed to delivering excellent art programmes and exhibtions within the county
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INSPIRATION
The rolling Downs and breathtaking coastlines of Sussex have inspired artists for centuries, including some of the most celebrated artists who have ever lived. Picasso, Miró, Man Ray, Moore, Constable, Turner, Burra, Grant, Bell, Beardsley, Ravilious, Nash, and Grayson Perry all have links with Sussex.
We have spent the last four years building up a vibrant and exciting community of creatives and art lovers, bringing over 25k visitors to the region.
Listening and observing the creative sector is really important to the work we are doing. We use a 360-degree feedback model across all our projects, enabling critical, informed growth thats supports the creatives and the work we do here at Sussex Contemporary.
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PARTNERSHIPS THAT WORK
Jo founded the company as a commercial entity, something we are incredibly proud of.
In a time when it’s becoming increasingly challenging to raise funds in the public, charity and non-profit cultural sector, we can, and do support beyond the work we are doing with the creative community.
Our partnership with HASTINGS CONTEMPORARY is a dynamic example of the work we are doing to support the region's existing museums and galleries.
We have both committed to a 6-year partnership under a revenue-sharing model, in which we are working together to deliver a groundbreaking opportunity for contemporary artists and introduce a new revenue stream into the establishment’s funding model. It’s a biannual project that we are very much looking forward to developing and growing the partnership in the years to come.
Alongside the work we do supporting the existing sector, we have also formed most excellent corporate and commercial sponsorship and partnership relationships that deliver equal value to both parties.
If you are interested in having a chat about a potential relationship do drop Jo an email at jo@sussexcontemporary.com
