Artists invite you to explore their secret studio spaces in Northamptonshire’s biggest ever arts festival

More than two hundred artists are due to exhibit their works at a showcase to launch Northants Open Studios (NOS) 2023.

As well as the exhibition at Lamport Hall, artists will fling open their doors allowing inquisitive locals to explore their secret studio spaces.

Dubbed the county’s biggest ever arts festival, Northants Open Studios 2023 uses spaces from stately homes to garden shed studios.

Guests can meet potters, painters, sculptors, textile artists, printmakers, jewellery makers and creative talents in person at various venues.

Katie Boyce, director and organiser of NOS, said: “We’ve seen this festival go from strength to strength over the last few years and the support and enthusiasm of the people of Northamptonshire has been huge.

"This is so important for the artists, not only when people buy their work, but showing an interest and having the chance to talk directly to the artists is really encouraging for them.

"The feedback from both artists and visitors last year was overwhelmingly positive and I don’t know of anything else locally that brings artists and people interested in art together in the same way as Northants Open Studios does.”

Northants Open Studios 2023 will give guests a glimpse behind the curtain at the creative processes.

Since relaunching in 2020, NOS has brought together an ever-growing number of talented artists and last year welcomed more than 12,500 people to 80 venues.

More than 2,800 people visited the central exhibition at Lamport Hall last September, and generated more than £32,000 in sales.

2023’s central exhibition, that showcases work from each of the artists taking part, will once again be hosted by Lamport Hall, who also sponsor the event.

Mark Herrod, estate director at Lamport Hall said: “We have been so pleased to be able to support the Open Studios festival and see how it showcases the vast and eclectic nature of talent in this county. Lamport Hall has a long history of supporting the arts in all formats and we have loved the chance to welcome so many visitors to the hall for the central exhibition – and I think this years’ exhibition promises to be bigger and better than ever!”

During September, artists will open up their studios with some also running workshops or demonstrations to give visitors a chance to have a go themselves. Aspiring art collectors can also purchase work direct from the artists.

Northants Open Studios runs for the month of September and all details about venues, exhibitions and studio opening times is available on the NOS website at www.northantsopenstudios.co.uk. Brochures are available at various sites across the county or view the online version by clicking here https://online.flipbuilder.com/cwao/hynp/mobile/index.html

The festival launches at a private event on Saturday, September 2 with the exhibition open to the public from Sunday, September 3 and continues through until Saturday, September 30.

Opening times of the Lamport Hall venue are Wednesday to Sunday from 10am to 4pm

To find Lamport Hall use postcode NN6 9EZ for Satnavs or for further information about Lamport Hall call 01604 686272.