South East’s Largest Visual Arts Festival Sets Sail for French Shores

One of the largest visual arts festivals in the South East is setting sail for French shores, showcasing a brand new travelling exhibition on the waves.

Artwave, now in its 33^rd year, has expanded its list of more than 170 artist venues to include its first ever sea-going exhibition, aboard the Newhaven to Dieppe cross-Channel ferry.

The only cross-Channel passenger route in Sussex will be exhibiting a selection of artwork across all of its DFDS ferry crossings throughout the festival, which returns from 5 – 20 September.

Connecting hundreds of artists and makers with more than 60,000 visitors each year, the festival features a multitude of free-to-visit exhibitions across the Lewes district, with venues ranging from artist studios, potteries and private homes, to farms, churches and even disused windmills.

Organised by Lewes District Council and Visit Lewes, the festival also features a series of artistic trails around Lewes, Seaford, Newhaven and Peacehaven, and surrounding villages.

Lewes District Council’s Cabinet Member for Arts, Culture, Tourism & Leisure, Cllr Johnny Denis said “Artwave is a wonderful expression of visual arts across the Lewes District and is our way of championing the incredible local talent within the towns and villages that make up this creative corner of Sussex.

“As we approach the Year of the Normans in 2027, we are delighted to be working with our colleagues at DFDS to bring a flavour of Lewes District’s unbridled originality, connecting Sussex landscapes with French shores, in what we hope will be an inspirational exhibition for travellers and building a creative connection for years to come.”

Festival-goers can pick up or download the Artwave brochure now to view the many venues and trails available to visit across the 16-day festival.

Sponsored by Gorringe’s, the Lewes auction house will also be joining in the festival, showcasing a special exhibition of works by Lord Gage whose ancestral home is within the District at Firle Place.

This year’s festival is accompanied by several fringe events including Foodwave – a new food festival featuring markets, workshops, talks, supper clubs and an independent food trail, organised by the Common Cause Co-operative.

A new lightbox exhibition titled ‘Working Lewes’, will also be illuminated in windows across the town featuring 80 archive photographs from Edward Reeves Photography. The town-wide exhibition will display a unique record of ordinary and extraordinary working lives – from gravedigger to bird stuffer and cricket bat maker.

Artwave is organised by Lewes District Council and Visit Lewes and sponsored by Gorringe’s.

The festival is also supported by Strutt & Parker, Eastbourne College, Charleston, Holy Cow, Le Bureau, Seasons, Spithurst Hub & Wellness Village, Splash Point Jazz, Sussex Community Development Association, Harvey’s Brewery, The Makers Directory and Sussex Contemporary Illustrators & Printmakers.

Free Artwave brochures are available to download online or pick up from both Gorringe’s and Charleston in Lewes and from Tourist Information Centres in Lewes, Newhaven and Seaford.

For more information visit www.artwavefestival.org.