Devon's Biggest Arts Event

A widely anticipated annual event, Devon Open Studios defied the pandemic in 2020, admirably adapting its model and through good fortune slotting itself between the national lockdowns to welcome dedicated patrons from across the UK for whom the event is somewhat of a pilgrimage. With this remarkable achievement in mind, it is perhaps unsurprising that with a more favourable national outlook to celebrate, Devon Open Studios is set to come back strong this year.

The event features annually in September and is the highlight of the South West arts calendar, organised by Devon Artist Network (DAN), which promotes, celebrates and champions the arts in Devon. For 16 days, the networks members throw open their doors to visitors or otherwise occupy venues and spaces across the region, offering an intimate look at their work and practice, delivering demonstrations, and running workshops for visitors to partake in. For collectors, it is truly an unmissable event.

Buoyed by artists eager to return to showing work to public audiences, a record number of venues across Devon can be found on the event map.

This year for Devon Open Studios, Torbay will host 18 unique venues across its three towns with work ranging from traditional plein air practice to contemporary printmaking, and taking in sculpture, illustration, and design in between. The 15 working studio spaces are joined by three exhibition showcases. A retrospective of Devon Masters Arthur Homeshaw R.W.A. and Richard Slater R.I. will be hosted at Artizan Gallery alongside their Sculpture Studio, a celebration of 3D work welcoming accomplished sculptors working in various mediums and producing at the height of their respective fields. And the esteemed 21 Group of Artists is invited back to Torbay where the group was established in 1967, hosted at the Artizan Collective Gallery as the group participates in Devon Open Studios for the first time.

The programme is in part supported by the Torbay Bursary Awards, which sponsored by Artizan Gallery have supported 10 artists from the bay to take part in this year’s event. The bursaries were awarded to a diverse range of artists with working studios in Torbay to support engagement with the annual event following the past 18 months of hardship that has particularly affected those working in the creative industries.