Fair Ground 2026

Glyndebourne is offering Fair Ground 2026, its annual exhibition of contemporary works of art inspired by Sussex.

Now in its seventh year, the exhibition celebrates the vibrant and distinctive creative landscape of the South Downs and beyond and forms part of Glyndebourne’s autumn season of opera and concerts.

The title of the exhibition, taken from Rudyard Kipling’s poem Sussex, references both a sense of place and the ever-changing constellation of artists that are brought together each year.

Nerissa Taysom, head of exhibitions & collections at Glyndebourne, said: “This year’s show features affordable works from twenty living artists, working in a variety of techniques and materials including painting, etching, drawing and ceramics. The artists are selected not for shared subjects, techniques or themes, but for the energy and possibilities that emerge when their distinctive practices are placed in conversation.

“A sense of discovery is central to the exhibition. Alongside artists with very established practices, several of the selected artists will be exhibiting for the first time. “

The featured artists for Fair Ground 2026 are: Katherine Allen, Julie Annis, Orlanda Broom, Amy Dury, Victoria Homewood, Bruce Ingram, Nils Jens, Gabriel Langlands, Rob Lyon, Roman McCullough, Fraser McQuade, Jane Merfield, Neil Morley, Jonathan Murphy, Marigold Plunkett, Rory Prout, Agnes Treherne, Rebecca Wells, Lucianna Whittle, and Robin Barley-Williams.

“A highlight of this year’s exhibition is a spotlight on the work of Ann Wynn Reeves (1929-2017). An artist and designer who lived and worked in Sussex for over four decades, Reeves founded a thriving ceramics business in Lewes alongside her husband, the pioneering ceramicist Kenneth Clark. Visitors will have the rare opportunity to view a curated selection of her drawings, designs and ceramic pieces, celebrating her enduring artistic legacy in Sussex.”

Nerissa added: “The vitality of Fair Ground lies in the interplay between work that feels resolved and work that is exhilarating precisely because it is still unfolding. It is an exhibition about the testing of ideas, visual languages and possibilities.

“It’s within these surprising connections and dissonances that the exhibition finds its rhythm. This spirit feels inherently at home at Glyndebourne, a place with a long history of welcoming experimental and boundary-pushing artists, designers and makers. Over the past seven years we have presented work by extraordinary and groundbreaking artists. It is a privilege to create a space where artists can reach audiences beyond the traditional gallery setting.

“Each iteration of Fair Ground reminds us of the remarkable depth and diversity of creative practice in Sussex and of the importance of giving that work a place to be seen, discovered and celebrated.

“Fair Ground is part of Glyndebourne’s longstanding commitment to the visual arts, a programme that encompasses major commissions, a historic archive of over 500,000 items, and exhibitions with world-leading artists. Glyndebourne has recently hosted solo presentations by Pablo Bronstein, Lubaina Himid, Maggi Hambling, and Conrad Shawcross, alongside group exhibitions featuring works by David Hockney, Antony Gormley, Rana Begum and Vicken Parsons. Proceeds from the exhibition programme directly supports Glyndebourne’s artistic mission.”

Fair Ground was originally established as an online initiative in 2020 to support artists during the Covid-19 pandemic and has evolved into a physical and digital showcase that champions artists at every stage of their professional careers.

Fair Ground 2026 will be on view at Glyndebourne from October 21 to December 13. The exhibition is open to ticket holders for autumn events and to the general public by appointment. The full exhibition is also available to browse online at glyndebourne.com. Works will be for sale and are priced from £40.