Volunteer organiser of the Open House event, Georgina Gwyer, explains: “We want to strive to be more inclusive… Not everyone has a nice house that they can show in, or even a house for that matter. We want to help nurture the next generation in our area as well.”
Each year, the festival invites artists to open their homes to the public, turning everyday living spaces into pop-up galleries. But not every artist has the room, or lives in the right postcode, to take part. This year, organisers are working with community venues and small businesses to offer alternative spaces, creating new opportunities for artists who wouldn’t otherwise be able to show their work.
One of those venues is Kingswood Arts – a Grade II-listed Victorian mansion in Dulwich that now serves as a cultural hub for the wider community, including the Kingswood council estate where it’s located. The South London Women Artists (SLWA) group has made the most of this new opportunity, with over 40 artists from the collective taking part. For many of the 70 artists exhibiting at Kingswood Arts, it’s the first time they’ve been able to show their work during the Dulwich Festival.
Local businesses are also playing a part. In nearby neighbourhoods like Sydenham, cafés, shops and independent venues are hosting artists – helping to bring the festival atmosphere to often-overlooked surrounding areas of South East London that haven’t traditionally been involved.
Credit: Georgina Gwyer
The increase in footfall from the festival is invaluable for small independent businesses. Silvia Fois, the owner of Snuffle, a dog-friendly café hosting a young Sydenham-based artist, says: “I’m going to have the chance to have people who have maybe never come here before… It will be a good occasion to have more people around and visiting the café.”
Laura Coppolaro, who is the artist exhibiting at Snuffle, adds: “It’s so good to have a way of engaging with people a bit more. It’s so hard when you’re only doing things online, and just nice to speak to people face to face and get a chance to show work that I wouldn’t usually get to show.”
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HeadlineDulwich Festival 2025: ‘We want to help nurture the next generation in our area’
Short HeadlineDulwich Festival want to “strive to be more inclusive"
StandfirstIn its 31st year, the Dulwich Festival’s popular Artist’s Open House event is making a conscious effort to be more inclusive this year.
Volunteer organiser of the Open House event, Georgina Gwyer, explains: “We want to strive to be more inclusive… Not everyone has a nice house that they can show in, or even a house for that matter. We want to help nurture the next generation in our area as well.”
Each year, the festival invites artists to open their homes to the public, turning everyday living spaces into pop-up galleries. But not every artist has the room, or lives in the right postcode, to take part. This year, organisers are working with community venues and small businesses to offer alternative spaces, creating new opportunities for artists who wouldn’t otherwise be able to show their work.
One of those venues is Kingswood Arts – a Grade II-listed Victorian mansion in Dulwich that now serves as a cultural hub for the wider community, including the Kingswood council estate where it’s located. The South London Women Artists (SLWA) group has made the most of this new opportunity, with over 40 artists from the collective taking part. For many of the 70 artists exhibiting at Kingswood Arts, it’s the first time they’ve been able to show their work during the Dulwich Festival.
Local businesses are also playing a part. In nearby neighbourhoods like Sydenham, cafés, shops and independent venues are hosting artists – helping to bring the festival atmosphere to often-overlooked surrounding areas of South East London that haven’t traditionally been involved.
Credit: Georgina Gwyer
The increase in footfall from the festival is invaluable for small independent businesses. Silvia Fois, the owner of Snuffle, a dog-friendly café hosting a young Sydenham-based artist, says: “I’m going to have the chance to have people who have maybe never come here before… It will be a good occasion to have more people around and visiting the café.”
Laura Coppolaro, who is the artist exhibiting at Snuffle, adds: “It’s so good to have a way of engaging with people a bit more. It’s so hard when you’re only doing things online, and just nice to speak to people face to face and get a chance to show work that I wouldn’t usually get to show.”
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