Key Points
- Crouch End Open Studios 2026 will take place on Saturday 9 May and Sunday 10 May, from midday to 6 pm, across the Crouch End area.
- The trail will feature 59 artists at around 40 venues, including cafes, shops, businesses, artists’ homes and studios.
- The event is in its 21st year and is described by organisers as an annual art trail that attracts thousands of visitors.
- The art on display will include ceramics, drawings, glass, mixed media, paintings, photography, prints and sculptures.
- A group exhibition will run at The Original Gallery at Hornsey Library from Friday 8 May to Sunday 17 May 2026, with one piece by each participating artist.
- Organisers this year are artists Elizabeth Brown, Isabella Lloyd Mitchell and Richard Peacock.
- The trail will also include tributes to the late Barbara Mansi, with one of her artworks included in the group exhibition and a new Barbara Mansi Award created in her memory.
- Ceramics graduate Audra Goffeney is the first recipient of that award and will take part in the trail and group show.
Crouch End (North London News) May 4, 2026 – Crouch End Open Studios 2026 will return next month with 59 artists set to display work across around 40 venues in the north London area, in an event organisers say will give residents and visitors the chance to meet artists, see their work and buy directly from them.
What is the trail?
Crouch End Open Studios is a community art trail that opens up artists’ homes, studios and local venues to the public. According to the event’s own website, the initiative was established in 2005 and has become a much-loved annual fixture that attracts thousands of visitors each year.
This year’s trail will take place over the weekend of 9 and 10 May, with opening hours of 12pm to 6pm on both days.
The event is free to enter, and organisers say it will allow visitors to step inside studios, meet makers and explore work in a wide range of media.
What will visitors see?
The range of work on show will cover ceramics, drawing, glass, mixed media, painting, photography, print and sculpture. Richard Peacock, one of the organising artists, said the trail would offer “a great mix of artists” and that
The line-up includes artists with notable achievements in national competitions and television arts programmes.
Haringey Council said Mark Entwisle won the Sunday Times Watercolour Competition in 2020, Jenna Waldren reached the semi-finals of Sky Arts’ Portrait Artist of the Year 2024, and Simon Gazzard took part in Sky Arts’ Landscape Artist of the Year 2025.
The event is spread across cafes, businesses, studios and private homes, meaning the trail is designed as much as a walk through the neighbourhood as an exhibition route. Leaflets will be distributed locally, while a map on the website will help people plan a visit.
Who is organising it?
This year’s event is being organised by Elizabeth Brown, Isabella Lloyd Mitchell and Richard Peacock. Haringey Council said Peacock has taken part in the trail every year since it began in 2005, underlining the continuity behind the project.
The organisers have also pointed to the trail’s mix of established and emerging artists, which the event’s website says is central to its identity. The official site says the artists work in original ceramics, drawing, glass, mixed media, painting, photography, print and sculpture.
Why does it matter locally?
The council said the trail gives residents a chance to meet artists in their homes and studios while also supporting the local economy through direct sales. That model means local cafes, shops and venues also benefit from visitor footfall over the weekend.
For a neighbourhood event, the scale is significant: 59 artists and around 40 venues represent a broad spread across Crouch End, which is likely to draw visitors from beyond the immediate area as well. The group exhibition at Hornsey Library also gives the event a single central viewing point alongside the wider trail.
What about Barbara Mansi?
The 2026 trail will also carry a memorial element following the death of artist Barbara Mansi, who was known locally for creating mosaics and running workshops. Elizabeth Brown said Mansi had “a sparkle” and was
“such a bundle of energy”,
adding that she will be greatly missed.
In her memory, the Barbara Mansi Award has been created for a recent graduate. Ceramics graduate Audra Goffeney, who studied Ceramic Design at Central Saint Martins, has been named the first recipient and said the award was a “wonderful gift” at an early stage in her career.
Background of the development
Crouch End Open Studios was established in 2005 and has grown into a regular fixture on the local arts calendar, with organisers describing it as a community event that brings together established and emerging artists. The 2026 edition marks its 21st year and continues the format of opening multiple venues across the area for a short spring weekend.
The trail’s broader structure has remained consistent over the years: artists show work in their own spaces or in local premises, visitors follow a map, and a group exhibition provides a central showcase. That format has helped the event build a repeat audience while keeping it rooted in the Crouch End community.
Prediction
For local artists, the 2026 trail is likely to provide direct exposure to new audiences, more opportunities for sales and stronger connections with residents who may later visit studios or commission work. For local businesses and venues taking part, the weekend should bring additional footfall and visibility in an area where community events often support wider local trade.
For visitors, the event is likely to reinforce Crouch End’s reputation as a neighbourhood with a strong creative identity, while the group exhibition at Hornsey Library may encourage more people to explore the full trail. The Barbara Mansi Award may also help sustain interest in the event’s emerging-artist platform in future years.
