Meet a rhino and a turtle on the art trail

Installation of a giant metal rhino on South Road roundabout as part of Haywards Heath Art Trail. Pictured here with it's creator Alan Williams

The Haywards Heath Town Centre Arts Trail will be in place across nearly two dozen shop and business windows from March 16 to 31.

The trail is organised by Haywards Heath Community Interest Company, a not-for-profit organisation set up to promote Haywards Heath as a place to live, work and do business.

The trail wends its way in windows along The Broadway, South Road, The Orchards and Sussex Road diverting into Victoria Park and on to the South Road roundabout where a baby rhinoceros was installed on Monday.

The exhibits feature Sussex artists, including Haywards Heath artists, but also Will Rochfort, an official London 2012 Olympic artist, and Andrew Roberts, from Ansty, who has exhibited at the Royal Academy. The wide range of art includes installation art with wood and metal sculptures, textiles, watercolours and drawings.

An CIC director René Moolenaar said: “We are trying to encourage people to use our wonderful town centre, and we could think of no better way to remind everyone of the wide variety of shops Haywards Heath has to offer than to encourage them to walk around the town centre.

“It was an unusual idea to put art in shop windows rather than a conventional exhibition hall, but it was readily embraced by local retailers, and we have been thrilled by the enthusiastic response and support we have had from both shops and artists.”

The trail will be launched by an official ‘walk’ starting at Grape and Grain in The Broadway on Saturday at 10.30am with all pieces remaining on display until Sunday,March 31.

Leaflets with a trail map will be available from the venues and information about each artist will be displayed in shop windows.

Architect Jo Saady, a CIC director and the host of a giant turtle exhibit, said: “We do not want to spoil any of the surprises, but we are confident that there will be something to interest, to impress, challenge and amuse everyone.”

Shops and businesses where art works can be seen include: Grape & Grain; Zip Yard; Theo Browns; RE:Ab Physio Centre; Nat West; RR Stevenson; Baldwins; Lloyds TSB; Big Life Organics; Waterstones; Master Cobbitt Ltd; Orchards Headway shop; The Orchards; Street Y’s; RockAbility; Ouh-la-la; Broadbridges; Izzy Party Shop; Fun pots; Norman Hobbs; Klod hoppers; Ecotecture.