News
September 2025
Rosa Launches Botanical Art Fair
A new art fair focusing on flora in art and design will be held 1-4 May 2026 at
West Dean in Chichester. The fair, curated by ROSA (Review of Sussex Arts)
will include botanical art installations in the college’s historical rooms, a
marquee with stands for galleries on the grounds, and a spring sculpture
garden. The emphasis is on contemporary art in all media – painting,
photography, digital art, sculpture, ceramics, textiles along with horticulture
and floristry.
Potential partners are invited to read the partner deck here.
August 2025
Sussex Craft Makers Exhibit at England’s Medieval
Festival
ROSA (Review of Sussex Arts), organisers of Sussex Craft Week, were
invited to curate a ‘Heritage Craft Hall’ at England’s Medieval Festival over
the August bank holiday weekend. The event was a huge success with
participants exhibiting jewellery, book-binding, guilded artworks, rope-making,
print-making and embroidery. Reported sales were excellent with makers
having to bring in extra work to meet demand. Plans are underway for an
extended edition for 2026 with an emphasis on Sussex crafts, both heritage
and contemporary.
More details will be released soon. Enquiries for 2026
should be directed to jessica.wood@rosamagazine.co.uk
July 2025
Sussex Craft Week Report Published
A full report of the first edition of Sussex Craft Week has been published with
feedback from participants, visitors and organisers. You can read it here.
June 2025
Marc Fish Wins Sussex Craft Awards 2025
Artist Marc Fish is the overall winner of the first Sussex Craft Awards hosted
at Newlands House Gallery, Petworth June 2025.
Marc Fish creates sculptural pieces that push the limits of contemporary
furniture making, blurring the boundaries between design, sculpture and furniture. Fish’s studio is world renowned for the use of veneer as its sole raw material, and his work demonstrates an extensive mastery of the most refined
practices in micro stack-lamination. Each piece uses the finest veneers and
natural finishes, from gold to squid ink. Initially inspired by the curvilinear
forms of Art Nouveau, more recently he has explored the Victorian obsession
with natural history. Fish has exhibited worldwide, and created works for
international collectors, private clients and interior designers.
“I have a passion for creating one-off pieces, or short series, drawing on my
knowledge of craftsmanship and modern design processes. My works
possess a timelessness that enables them to sit comfortably in the most
contemporary of settings and the more traditional.”
Twelve Sussex artist-makers were selected for excellence in craft by a panel
including West Dean College, Newlands House Gallery, The Makers
Directory, High Weald Wine Estate and Tutton & Young.
Newlands House Gallery will host a solo show of work by Marc Fish in 2026.
May 2025
The Craft Landscape Of Sussex At The V&A
Sussex Craft Week director, Jessica Wood was invited to speak at an
international conference titled ‘The Wind from Craft Town’ at the V&A
Museum, joining speakers from Hong Kong and China as well as Farnham
Craft Town and Birmingham Jewellery Quarter. Her talk ‘The Craft
Landscape of Sussex’ mapped out the the region as a home of heritage craft
and a hub for the contemporary craft revival.
10 April 2025
Craft Courses with Sussex makers
ROSA Magazine is pleased to launch a series of courses and demonstrations as part of the Sussex Craft Week programme. Intended to lift the mood, educate and inspire, participants will have the opportunity to learn the foundations for a number of contemporary and heritage disciplines.
Craft is proven to have a positive effect on wellbeing, with many studies, including in an article published by the New Scientist last year, suggesting that it boosts overall wellbeing more than employment. The multi-sensory nature of craft makes it both a mindful and pro-active activity. The repetitive actions allow the mind to enter a ‘flow’ state, kickstarting happiness-inducing neurotransmitters, while also reducing stress hormones and creating feelings of satisfaction.
Sussex Craft Week will network visitors with Sussex makers from across the county, introducing craft to those looking to experience the many benefits which come from making. The courses will also celebrate local craft heritage, including a spotlight on endangered Sussex Heritage crafts such as the Sussex Trug.
Sign up to a course in willow weaving, book binding or collage at the stylish coaching inn, The Bell in Ticehurst; medieval ironwork, jewellery, woodcut printing, glass engraving or natural dyeing at the renowned West Dean College; sculpting in a beautiful barn in Friston; stone carving at the famous Skelton workshops in Streat; or children’s clay and raku workshops in Eastbourne.
Book on to a course via the Sussex Craft Week programme.
17 Feb 2025
ROSA is pleased to announce West Dean College as the headline sponsor for Sussex Craft Week.
West Dean has been at the vanguard of championing arts and crafts since its inception in 1971. West Dean now provides a variety of cutting-edge degree and diploma programmes designed to equip students to excel in a variety of industries. Alongside these qualifications, the college also runs over 800 creative short courses spanning a plethora of disciplines from printmaking to blacksmithing and everything in between.
Francine Norris, Principal and Deputy Chief Executive, said “Sussex Craft Week embodies West Dean’s founding mission to protect and promote the practice of craft. Sussex has an extensive history within the craft movement and remains a vibrant centre for contemporary makers to this day. We are excited to work in partnership with ROSA on this important project.”
Photos: Thom Atkinson
Sussex Craft Week
20-28 June 2026
Tel: + 44 (0)1273 473227
office@sussexcraftweek.com
ROSA (Review of Sussex Arts CIC)
Lewes House, 32 High Street,
Lewes BN7 2LX
Company number 13431217