Brighton’s got a reputation for being one of the most creative cities in the UK. Depending on what route you took in, that might be down to the mods and rockers that fled here for a gig and a scrap, or the country’s biggest Pride celebration that arrives in August each year. You could also wander in via the North Laine, and its various independent businesses, or get lost in the chaos of Brighton Festival, Brighton Fringe, The Great Escape and Artists Open House, all happening in venues and homes across the city in the (sometimes) sunny month of May.
It is a reputation built on independence, openness and a certain seaside refusal to behave – a notion that’s been packaged even by the local tourism board as ‘Never Normal.’
But reputations come with a cost. A literal one. People want to live somewhere creative, liberal, and near the sea, and that has a way of pushing prices up. Rents rise. Studios disappear. Empty shopfronts sit where small businesses used to be. Outside the well-worn image of The Lanes, the beach and the council-sanctioned murals, Brighton is still a city where access to space, money and opportunity can be uneven.
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05.26 Art Yard Sale turns Brighton’s public space into an open gallery
SO WHAT IS ACTUALLY BEING DONE TO KEEP ART ACCESSIBLE ?
Now entering its 11th year, Art Yard Sale offers one answer. Taking place in Jubilee Square as part of Brighton Fringe, it brings art out of the gallery and into the middle of the city. Collectors, artists, families, passers-by and people on a Sunday mooch can all move through the same open-air space, speaking directly to artists, buying work face-to-face, and even watching some of the art get made. For some of the artists, it’s a chance to sell in a physical setting for the first time. For some visitors, it’s a chance to see and buy art outside of the traditional settings.
The event is now run by Kaos Projects, founded by Helen Hiett and Lindsay Alkin after the closure of Enter Gallery, formerly Art Republic. Between them, they had years of experience working with artists, exhibitions, pop-ups, murals and artist-led projects, but the closure of the gallery created a gap.
“When the gallery closed, I felt like there was a bit of a void in Brighton,” says Helen. “We had worked with well over 100 artists and publishers, so continuing those relationships meant looking at creative events and projects but making them more artist-led. More like partnerships with artists, rather than the gallery leading everything.”
That shift is important. Art Yard Sale began life through the gallery, but last year marked its first edition as an independent Kaos Projects event, as well as its 10th anniversary. They kept the cost of participation down, widened the feel of the event and leaned further into what makes it work: artists meeting people directly, work being sold without the usual stiffness, and art becoming part of the city’s everyday movement.
“It’s freer now, because we’re not based in a gallery or tied to four walls and a website,” says Lindsay. “We can expand. We can do anything.”
That freedom has not removed the difficult bits. Running something independently still means admin, budgeting, learning as you go and doing the less romantic work behind the scenes. But beneath it is a clear belief in the need for spaces where artists can sell, experiment, be seen and have conversations with people who might never have walked into a gallery.
“We’re really proud of where we’ve got to,” says Lindsay. “Especially when the world feels hard and everyone is finding it hard. There’s still that want for art. There’s still that energy.”
In a city constantly being sold back to itself as creative, colourful and independent, Art Yard Sale asks a more useful question: how do you make art feel genuinely available to people? Not just something behind glass, on a white wall or hidden behind a front desk, but something you can walk into, talk about, hold, buy, remember and take home.
Now entering its 11th year, Art Yard Sale offers one answer. Taking place in Jubilee Square as part of Brighton Fringe, it brings art out of the gallery and into the middle of the city. Collectors, artists, families, passers-by and people on a Sunday mooch can all move through the same open-air space, speaking directly to artists, buying work face-to-face, and even watching some of the art get made. For some of the artists, it’s a chance to sell in a physical setting for the first time. For some visitors, it’s a chance to see and buy art outside of the traditional settings.
The event is now run by Kaos Projects, founded by Helen Hiett and Lindsay Alkin after the closure of Enter Gallery, formerly Art Republic. Between them, they had years of experience working with artists, exhibitions, pop-ups, murals and artist-led projects, but the closure of the gallery created a gap.
“When the gallery closed, I felt like there was a bit of a void in Brighton,” says Helen. “We had worked with well over 100 artists and publishers, so continuing those relationships meant looking at creative events and projects but making them more artist-led. More like partnerships with artists, rather than the gallery leading everything.”
That shift is important. Art Yard Sale began life through the gallery, but last year marked its first edition as an independent Kaos Projects event, as well as its 10th anniversary. They kept the cost of participation down, widened the feel of the event and leaned further into what makes it work: artists meeting people directly, work being sold without the usual stiffness, and art becoming part of the city’s everyday movement.
“It’s freer now, because we’re not based in a gallery or tied to four walls and a website,” says Lindsay. “We can expand. We can do anything.”
That freedom has not removed the difficult bits. Running something independently still means admin, budgeting, learning as you go and doing the less romantic work behind the scenes. But beneath it is a clear belief in the need for spaces where artists can sell, experiment, be seen and have conversations with people who might never have walked into a gallery.
“We’re really proud of where we’ve got to,” says Lindsay. “Especially when the world feels hard and everyone is finding it hard. There’s still that want for art. There’s still that energy.”
In a city constantly being sold back to itself as creative, colourful and independent, Art Yard Sale asks a more useful question: how do you make art feel genuinely available to people? Not just something behind glass, on a white wall or hidden behind a front desk, but something you can walk into, talk about, hold, buy, remember and take home.
ART YARD SALE HAS THIS ETHOS OF TAKING ART OUT OF TRADITIONAL GALLERY SETTINGS AND PUTTING IT DIRECTLY INTO PUBLIC SPACE. HOW IMPORTANT IS THAT?
Lindsay: I love it. Some people know about Art Yard Sale in advance and put it in their diary, but then you also get people who are just walking by. We don’t expect them to give us their details. We don’t expect them to buy anything. It’s just about making them feel like they are part of it.
The way we design it is like a circle. There’s no feeling of one entrance and one exit. People can move in and out whenever they want. It’s very open. It’s really nice when people say, “Oh, I didn’t know this was happening,” and then walk away with some art. What a lovely story to bring back to their house.
Helen: With galleries, sometimes people can feel shy to go in. Maybe that gallery doesn’t sell art they feel they can connect to, or the price might put them off. But because Art Yard Sale is in an open, free, public space, you can see the art there and meet the artist.
That makes a big difference. A lot of the power behind art, for me anyway, is the storytelling element. If you meet the person and see them creating it, you become part of that story.
DO YOU THINK TRADITIONAL GALLERY CULTURE CAN STILL FEEL INTIMIDATING OR INACCESSIBLE?
Lindsay: When we worked at Art Republic and Enter Gallery, the rule was always that you had to stand and be on the floor. There wasn’t that level of someone sitting behind a desk.
I think that’s what can happen in galleries. You have to open the door for a start, and then there’s someone sitting behind a computer, and it can feel like you’re interrupting. It makes people think, “Am I in the wrong place? Should I be allowed in here?”
We’ve always been like: art is for everyone. Everyone should feel comfortable.
FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS NEVER BEEN BEFORE, WHAT DOES ART YARD SALE FEEL LIKE ON THE DAY?
Helen: It feels really buzzy. It’s a high-energy, really fun day. All of the artists come and each stall becomes its own little flavour, or its own little world. You get to peek inside and meet all of these wonderful, magical people.
Then you have all the people who come to the event and buy art. People will come and get something they keep forever and really treasure, so there are lots of smiles, lots of laughter.
Lindsay: It’s usually quite crazy at the beginning, because people are looking for specific artists or specific things, so they get there really early. But there’s a lovely flow all day. It stays busy.
One thing we always try to get artists to do is hand-finishing or making something on the day. So even if you’re just walking around, you might see an artist finishing a piece and get a glimpse of how they work.
Lindsay: I love it. Some people know about Art Yard Sale in advance and put it in their diary, but then you also get people who are just walking by. We don’t expect them to give us their details. We don’t expect them to buy anything. It’s just about making them feel like they are part of it.
The way we design it is like a circle. There’s no feeling of one entrance and one exit. People can move in and out whenever they want. It’s very open. It’s really nice when people say, “Oh, I didn’t know this was happening,” and then walk away with some art. What a lovely story to bring back to their house.
Helen: With galleries, sometimes people can feel shy to go in. Maybe that gallery doesn’t sell art they feel they can connect to, or the price might put them off. But because Art Yard Sale is in an open, free, public space, you can see the art there and meet the artist.
That makes a big difference. A lot of the power behind art, for me anyway, is the storytelling element. If you meet the person and see them creating it, you become part of that story.
DO YOU THINK TRADITIONAL GALLERY CULTURE CAN STILL FEEL INTIMIDATING OR INACCESSIBLE?
Lindsay: When we worked at Art Republic and Enter Gallery, the rule was always that you had to stand and be on the floor. There wasn’t that level of someone sitting behind a desk.
I think that’s what can happen in galleries. You have to open the door for a start, and then there’s someone sitting behind a computer, and it can feel like you’re interrupting. It makes people think, “Am I in the wrong place? Should I be allowed in here?”
We’ve always been like: art is for everyone. Everyone should feel comfortable.
FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS NEVER BEEN BEFORE, WHAT DOES ART YARD SALE FEEL LIKE ON THE DAY?
Helen: It feels really buzzy. It’s a high-energy, really fun day. All of the artists come and each stall becomes its own little flavour, or its own little world. You get to peek inside and meet all of these wonderful, magical people.
Then you have all the people who come to the event and buy art. People will come and get something they keep forever and really treasure, so there are lots of smiles, lots of laughter.
Lindsay: It’s usually quite crazy at the beginning, because people are looking for specific artists or specific things, so they get there really early. But there’s a lovely flow all day. It stays busy.
One thing we always try to get artists to do is hand-finishing or making something on the day. So even if you’re just walking around, you might see an artist finishing a piece and get a glimpse of how they work.
THERE’S A WIDE RANGE OF ARTISTS INVOLVED, NOT JUST IN TERMS OF WHAT ART THEY MAKE, BUT HOW ESTABLISHED THEY ARE. HOW IMPORTANT IS THAT MIX?
Lindsay: I think it’s really important to declass art, in a sense.
I love it when people walk around and they’re not thinking, “Where’s that artist?” They’re thinking, “What do I like?” That’s really important.
I always want to have the underdog. We have a few new artists this year who have never done anything like this before. We might have only met them recently or seen them on Instagram, but we’ll think, “Yeah, that will fit in.”
We try to have different styles, so it’s not all one thing. It’s a bit for everyone: collage, street art, fine art, illustration. Everything sits against each other, so it feels fresh. It’s not the same, the same, the same. It’s more like, “Wow, okay, that’s completely different.”
HOW DOES SOMEBODY BECOME PART OF ART YARD SALE AS AN ARTIST? WHAT’S THE APPLICATION OR CURATION PROCESS LIKE?
Helen: We have artists who have done it before, so we send an artist brief out to them. Then people message us on Instagram. We’ve never actually had to do an artist call-out.
We basically decide whether we think their work would sell well, or whether it would be worthwhile for them. That might mean their work selling well, but it might also mean it being a good way to market their work.
If they’re an emerging artist and they don’t have loads of things to sell, it might still be a really good way for them to meet collectors. The event has been going for 10 or 11 years now, so there are people who come who really collect art, as well as people who come for the event and the vibe.
Lindsay: It’s always about whether it’s worth it for the artist and whether their work is too similar to another artist. You don’t want everything to be the same. But we’re always happy to get Instagram messages, because there’s always next year. We approached a few people as well.
BRIGHTON IS CONSTANTLY DESCRIBED AS A CREATIVE CITY. FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, WHAT ACTUALLY MAKES A CITY CREATIVELY HEALTHY?
Lindsay: I think it’s the people. Brighton is in its own little bubble. There are a lot of people who are freer thinking, interested and open, and I think that’s why Brighton is the way it is.
Sometimes I think there should be more art and more things happening, but the people who live in Brighton, and the people who are drawn to Brighton, are quite cultural. It has that community. It has that vibe.
That’s very unusual and very special about Brighton. It draws people in. So I think it’s the humans. But I always think there should be more artists able to bounce off each other.
WHAT DO YOU THINK THE CITY GETS RIGHT CREATIVELY AT THE MOMENT ?
Helen: I don’t know if the city is doing great. I think the people in it are doing the best they can.
Lindsay: That’s the hard bit. It feels like everyone has a really good excuse to say, “We just don’t have funding,” so everything is expected to be done for free.
But keeping events like Fringe and Artists Open Houses happening is important. Open Houses keeps the price quite low to be part of it, and it’s clever because you’re using someone’s house rather than a property.
Helen: I think people can be in tune with what’s happening around them. Instead of saying, “I’m going to rent you this space for this crazy price I’ve seen on the internet,” they might talk to you, treat you like a human being and find a workaround.
AND ON THE FLIP SIDE, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE BRIGHTON DO MORE OF TO SUPPORT ARTISTS AND CREATIVE COMMUNITIES?
Lindsay: There are so many empty shop windows right now and it’s looking really depressing on the high street. I’m a big high street person.
After Covid, there was a lovely scheme where artists took over empty galleries and shops. If that came back, that would be wonderful. I know those spaces are privately owned, but there should be some kind of rule that they can’t be left empty for too long, or they at least have to look beautiful.
If you did something with them, it could make the high street feel less empty. Give us the shops. We’ll sort it out.
We’re all going to miss the high street when it’s gone. I always say to my friends, “Just find it in a shop.” They say, “But it’s more expensive.” Okay, pay one more pound.
Helen: Pie in the sky, I’d love to do a street art festival throughout the city. People saying, “Here’s a wall, here’s a wall.” The council saying, “You’ve got this much funding. Make a map, bring the artists, make it happen.”
Lindsay: We’ve tried that. So that is a wish.
Lindsay: I think it’s really important to declass art, in a sense.
I love it when people walk around and they’re not thinking, “Where’s that artist?” They’re thinking, “What do I like?” That’s really important.
I always want to have the underdog. We have a few new artists this year who have never done anything like this before. We might have only met them recently or seen them on Instagram, but we’ll think, “Yeah, that will fit in.”
We try to have different styles, so it’s not all one thing. It’s a bit for everyone: collage, street art, fine art, illustration. Everything sits against each other, so it feels fresh. It’s not the same, the same, the same. It’s more like, “Wow, okay, that’s completely different.”
HOW DOES SOMEBODY BECOME PART OF ART YARD SALE AS AN ARTIST? WHAT’S THE APPLICATION OR CURATION PROCESS LIKE?
Helen: We have artists who have done it before, so we send an artist brief out to them. Then people message us on Instagram. We’ve never actually had to do an artist call-out.
We basically decide whether we think their work would sell well, or whether it would be worthwhile for them. That might mean their work selling well, but it might also mean it being a good way to market their work.
If they’re an emerging artist and they don’t have loads of things to sell, it might still be a really good way for them to meet collectors. The event has been going for 10 or 11 years now, so there are people who come who really collect art, as well as people who come for the event and the vibe.
Lindsay: It’s always about whether it’s worth it for the artist and whether their work is too similar to another artist. You don’t want everything to be the same. But we’re always happy to get Instagram messages, because there’s always next year. We approached a few people as well.
BRIGHTON IS CONSTANTLY DESCRIBED AS A CREATIVE CITY. FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, WHAT ACTUALLY MAKES A CITY CREATIVELY HEALTHY?
Lindsay: I think it’s the people. Brighton is in its own little bubble. There are a lot of people who are freer thinking, interested and open, and I think that’s why Brighton is the way it is.
Sometimes I think there should be more art and more things happening, but the people who live in Brighton, and the people who are drawn to Brighton, are quite cultural. It has that community. It has that vibe.
That’s very unusual and very special about Brighton. It draws people in. So I think it’s the humans. But I always think there should be more artists able to bounce off each other.
WHAT DO YOU THINK THE CITY GETS RIGHT CREATIVELY AT THE MOMENT ?
Helen: I don’t know if the city is doing great. I think the people in it are doing the best they can.
Lindsay: That’s the hard bit. It feels like everyone has a really good excuse to say, “We just don’t have funding,” so everything is expected to be done for free.
But keeping events like Fringe and Artists Open Houses happening is important. Open Houses keeps the price quite low to be part of it, and it’s clever because you’re using someone’s house rather than a property.
Helen: I think people can be in tune with what’s happening around them. Instead of saying, “I’m going to rent you this space for this crazy price I’ve seen on the internet,” they might talk to you, treat you like a human being and find a workaround.
AND ON THE FLIP SIDE, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE BRIGHTON DO MORE OF TO SUPPORT ARTISTS AND CREATIVE COMMUNITIES?
Lindsay: There are so many empty shop windows right now and it’s looking really depressing on the high street. I’m a big high street person.
After Covid, there was a lovely scheme where artists took over empty galleries and shops. If that came back, that would be wonderful. I know those spaces are privately owned, but there should be some kind of rule that they can’t be left empty for too long, or they at least have to look beautiful.
If you did something with them, it could make the high street feel less empty. Give us the shops. We’ll sort it out.
We’re all going to miss the high street when it’s gone. I always say to my friends, “Just find it in a shop.” They say, “But it’s more expensive.” Okay, pay one more pound.
Helen: Pie in the sky, I’d love to do a street art festival throughout the city. People saying, “Here’s a wall, here’s a wall.” The council saying, “You’ve got this much funding. Make a map, bring the artists, make it happen.”
Lindsay: We’ve tried that. So that is a wish.
DO EVENTS LIKE BRIGHTON FRINGE STILL FEEL GENUINELY GRASSROOTS AND COMMUNITY-DRIVEN TO YOU, OR HAS THAT LANDSCAPE CHANGED?
Helen: I think so. Brighton Fringe is a charity and it’s a very small team doing a lot. They provide bursaries and grants for artists, and they were really helpful to us in our first year.
They work with other charities that help mentor artists so they can get their work into the Fringe. I think they’ve got a really good view on the arts and really try to help people with whatever they need.
Lindsay: Maybe there could be more of these things throughout the year and not just in May. May is mad, and it’s great, but maybe there could be something in September too. I don’t think it would dilute anything. It would just keep the city going.
Also, just make it more obvious how you can get help. Everything feels like so much red tape. There should be an area where it’s just easy. “I want this.” “Okay, go that way.”
WHAT WERE SOME OF THE INSPIRATIONS THAT SHAPED YOUR OWN CREATIVE JOURNEYS?
Helen: Mine is a bit cheesy. I went to Berlin on a college trip years ago and went to this amazing artist squat that has been knocked down now.
You could visit it as a tourist, and I met this man who was sitting on the floor, cooking a steak, drinking a bottle of vodka and making really nice silkscreen prints. This sounds horrible, but I was like, “This is a good life. I want to do art projects like this.”
Coming back to England, I used to run little pop-up art exhibitions in Bournemouth with a friend who then took it to Barcelona. I was part of lots of little art collectives, then worked my way up to Enter Gallery.
Then it was getting to do all these projects with Lindsay and Lawrence, the old gallery owner. We’d put on pop-ups and go to art fairs in London, Manchester, Miami, Switzerland. Getting to delve into these little worlds the artists live in and see their installations and projects come to life, I think making those things happen feels really good.
Lindsay: Mine’s not as cool. When I was born, both my parents worked on market stalls, and I would be in a Moses basket under the stall while they were selling pictures.
That went from pictures all the way to Enter Gallery. So I was brought up always having that. As a child, there was nothing else for me to do. I did work with other galleries and tried different things, but I had such a passion for what we did because we always evolved.
It started with posters, then worked its way up to limited editions. Then we heard from this small company called Pictures on Walls saying, “We’ve got this artist called Banksy, do you want to sell some of his prints?” And I was part of that, saying yes. We were selling Banksys for £95.
We used to say, “That will put your kid through university,” and people laughed. Actually, a few of them probably would now. Or even buy a house.
For me, it’s just been in my bones. I ran a family business and I was always “the daughter,” but now I’ve got my own thing. I’ve taken the good things, I’ve learned from the mistakes, and I still have lots more mistakes to make. But I feel like I’ve got good innings to make something good out of Kaos Projects.
Helen: I think so. Brighton Fringe is a charity and it’s a very small team doing a lot. They provide bursaries and grants for artists, and they were really helpful to us in our first year.
They work with other charities that help mentor artists so they can get their work into the Fringe. I think they’ve got a really good view on the arts and really try to help people with whatever they need.
Lindsay: Maybe there could be more of these things throughout the year and not just in May. May is mad, and it’s great, but maybe there could be something in September too. I don’t think it would dilute anything. It would just keep the city going.
Also, just make it more obvious how you can get help. Everything feels like so much red tape. There should be an area where it’s just easy. “I want this.” “Okay, go that way.”
WHAT WERE SOME OF THE INSPIRATIONS THAT SHAPED YOUR OWN CREATIVE JOURNEYS?
Helen: Mine is a bit cheesy. I went to Berlin on a college trip years ago and went to this amazing artist squat that has been knocked down now.
You could visit it as a tourist, and I met this man who was sitting on the floor, cooking a steak, drinking a bottle of vodka and making really nice silkscreen prints. This sounds horrible, but I was like, “This is a good life. I want to do art projects like this.”
Coming back to England, I used to run little pop-up art exhibitions in Bournemouth with a friend who then took it to Barcelona. I was part of lots of little art collectives, then worked my way up to Enter Gallery.
Then it was getting to do all these projects with Lindsay and Lawrence, the old gallery owner. We’d put on pop-ups and go to art fairs in London, Manchester, Miami, Switzerland. Getting to delve into these little worlds the artists live in and see their installations and projects come to life, I think making those things happen feels really good.
Lindsay: Mine’s not as cool. When I was born, both my parents worked on market stalls, and I would be in a Moses basket under the stall while they were selling pictures.
That went from pictures all the way to Enter Gallery. So I was brought up always having that. As a child, there was nothing else for me to do. I did work with other galleries and tried different things, but I had such a passion for what we did because we always evolved.
It started with posters, then worked its way up to limited editions. Then we heard from this small company called Pictures on Walls saying, “We’ve got this artist called Banksy, do you want to sell some of his prints?” And I was part of that, saying yes. We were selling Banksys for £95.
We used to say, “That will put your kid through university,” and people laughed. Actually, a few of them probably would now. Or even buy a house.
For me, it’s just been in my bones. I ran a family business and I was always “the daughter,” but now I’ve got my own thing. I’ve taken the good things, I’ve learned from the mistakes, and I still have lots more mistakes to make. But I feel like I’ve got good innings to make something good out of Kaos Projects.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO ARTISTS OR ARTS ORGANISATIONS JUST GETTING STARTED?
Lindsay: For artists, one of my main things is: don’t look at other people. Do what is you.
As soon as you start trying to be like someone else, your art loses its feeling and emotion. Everything is based on emotion and feeling. If you don’t feel it, you don’t get it.
So just be you and develop you. That’s my thought line with an artist, but I think that’s in everything in life. Be true.
Helen: If you’re thinking of projects or things you want to do, think big. You can always go smaller later.
Don’t be shy to try something because you feel you can’t apply for it, or you feel you shouldn’t go into that gallery, or because you don’t have enough followers or enough pieces. Just do it anyway and you’ll learn along the way.
Lindsay: And if you’re looking to put art into a gallery, research the gallery. Think: will my work fit in here? Galleries get so much stuff, so you have to think about that too.
Also, don’t give up. It’s really hard and you’re going to get lots of rejections. Or maybe not, but the majority of people do. Believing in yourself is the most important thing.
WERE YOU EXCITED ABOUT SPEAKING ABOUT THE EVENT ON THE STREETS THEMSELVES THROUGH THE WILDPOSTING CAMPAIGN?
Helen: I love flyering. I never thought I would, but I love going in and having a chat. People say, “Oh yeah, I’ve been to that, it’s great,” or “I’ve not heard of it, but I’d love to check it out.” Those in-person chats make it memorable.
Lindsay: Last year we did 7,500 flyers. We’ve done posters, and a friend did spray painting on junction boxes, but it’s amazing to have something like UNCLE come and give us flyposting. I’m very excited.
Helen: We’ve just been smiling since they said we could do this partnership.
It’s interesting because Brighton is so difficult to put artwork up in. There are so many rules and they’re strict about fly-tipping and graffiti. So it’s really nice to actually have an event that’s on the streets advertised on the streets. It feels right.
AND FINALLY … WHY SHOULD PEOPLE BUY ART ?
Helen: Because art is everything. Art is what makes you feel good. It reminds you of a special memory or gives you a feeling or emotion. It can tell a story about what’s happening in the world right now.
Lindsay: That’s really interesting with art too, the way it moves. From working in galleries for 30 years, you see the way times change and art changes. What people buy changes too.
When times are pumping and everyone has money, they love satire. They love darker humour. Then in really hard times, people want happy work. They just want to feel happy, and they buy that.
It’s interesting watching how it all moves. You can’t have life without art. And that’s in every field.
Lindsay: For artists, one of my main things is: don’t look at other people. Do what is you.
As soon as you start trying to be like someone else, your art loses its feeling and emotion. Everything is based on emotion and feeling. If you don’t feel it, you don’t get it.
So just be you and develop you. That’s my thought line with an artist, but I think that’s in everything in life. Be true.
Helen: If you’re thinking of projects or things you want to do, think big. You can always go smaller later.
Don’t be shy to try something because you feel you can’t apply for it, or you feel you shouldn’t go into that gallery, or because you don’t have enough followers or enough pieces. Just do it anyway and you’ll learn along the way.
Lindsay: And if you’re looking to put art into a gallery, research the gallery. Think: will my work fit in here? Galleries get so much stuff, so you have to think about that too.
Also, don’t give up. It’s really hard and you’re going to get lots of rejections. Or maybe not, but the majority of people do. Believing in yourself is the most important thing.
WERE YOU EXCITED ABOUT SPEAKING ABOUT THE EVENT ON THE STREETS THEMSELVES THROUGH THE WILDPOSTING CAMPAIGN?
Helen: I love flyering. I never thought I would, but I love going in and having a chat. People say, “Oh yeah, I’ve been to that, it’s great,” or “I’ve not heard of it, but I’d love to check it out.” Those in-person chats make it memorable.
Lindsay: Last year we did 7,500 flyers. We’ve done posters, and a friend did spray painting on junction boxes, but it’s amazing to have something like UNCLE come and give us flyposting. I’m very excited.
Helen: We’ve just been smiling since they said we could do this partnership.
It’s interesting because Brighton is so difficult to put artwork up in. There are so many rules and they’re strict about fly-tipping and graffiti. So it’s really nice to actually have an event that’s on the streets advertised on the streets. It feels right.
AND FINALLY … WHY SHOULD PEOPLE BUY ART ?
Helen: Because art is everything. Art is what makes you feel good. It reminds you of a special memory or gives you a feeling or emotion. It can tell a story about what’s happening in the world right now.
Lindsay: That’s really interesting with art too, the way it moves. From working in galleries for 30 years, you see the way times change and art changes. What people buy changes too.
When times are pumping and everyone has money, they love satire. They love darker humour. Then in really hard times, people want happy work. They just want to feel happy, and they buy that.
It’s interesting watching how it all moves. You can’t have life without art. And that’s in every field.
