SOS 2025 New Venues. Or new venues for Swindon Open Studios 2025.
It’s almost time to celebrate Swindon’s colourful creativity with a fun day out for all the family! This is the 21st year artists will welcome the public behind the scenes into their studios, workshops and homes to see their work. It happens during the last two weekends in September. This year, sees three new venues have added. This is because exhibitors are at different stages of their creative journey and not everyone has a dedicated workspace.
The new venues are:
- The Wyvern Theatre – it will be open both Saturdays 20th and 27th September.
- STEAM: Museum of the Great Western Railway
- Great Moorleaze Farm near Wanborough
The latter two are open only for the first weekend: 20th and 21st September.
John Webb
John Webb (deceased) used to work for Great Western Railways and recorded scenes in and around Swindon’s works. It will please railway enthusiasts to see his paintings displayed in such an appropriate space as STEAM.
STEAM is also an apt setting for Alex Crump because he loves and paints trains too. Alex is a well-established children’s book illustrator. He says, ‘I usually work at home in a converted loft. But I can’t invite people up there because I have to climb up a rickety old ladder to reach it! I’m so grateful for the venues making exhibition space available!’
To date, Alex has illustrated ifty-four books using watercolours, charcoal, his iPad and a computer programme called ‘Procreate’. His best-known illustrations feature in ‘Dragon Air’. The author realised that every country has its own version of these strange, winged creatures. Another story Alex is proud to have illustrated is the best-seller Niky Naky Noo published last year.
The Great Bustard
As a bird-lover, Alex always wanted to see a Great Bustard – featured on Wiltshire’s Coat of Arms. He posted an illustration of one on Facebook and the CEO of The Great Bustard Group invited him to visit. And then to create some images that the charity has used on merchandise.
Downton Distillery commissioned Alex to paint one as the mascot for their new Great Bustard gin. It’s won several global awards. More proof that Swindon can be proud of the work of its artists, seen all over the world!
The beauty of this event is that you can plan several visits in a day.
The website and brochure features bus routes https://simplebooklet.com/sos25brochure1#page=1
Or for the map, click https://www.swindonopenstudios.org/2025-map
All kinds of arts and crafts are on show and this year about forty per cent of exhibitors are first-timers. Everyone is looking forward to conversations about art, stories behind each work, their inspiration, techniques and processes they use. Feedback on what people like is r encouraging and helps artists develop. Demonstrations and taster sessions are free but you might need to book workshops in advance. If you visit artists in their own studios, the added bonus is seeing the chaos that often accompanies creativity! Who knows – you might even get inspired to pick up a paintbrush yourself or find a new hobby for the winter months!
See also:
