Discover makers, markets, workshops and creative communities across the region.

From its rolling countryside to historic villages, Wealden is also home to a thriving community of makers whose creativity is deeply rooted in the unique landscape. Throughout Wealden, you’ll find artists and craftspeople working from studios, sheds, workshops to kitchen tables – producing everything from traditional heritage crafts to contemporary art and design. Many of these makers use materials sourced locally, draw inspiration from our nature and wildlife, or continue skills passed down through generations of Sussex-based families.

Craft Fairs, Markets and Open Studios

Markets are an essential part of local life. Alongside the delicious food on offer, Wealden’s weekly markets are lively spaces where visitors can meet makers, browse handmade goods, and enjoy the best of local creativity.

Across the region you’ll find regular markets with art and craft stalls, including Crowborough, East Dean, Forest Row, Hailsham, Heathfield and Wadhurst. For dates and up-to-date information, visit our dedicated Markets page.

Wealden also hosts curated craft events throughout the year. The Local Crafters’ Co., run pop-up markets in Crowborough, Uckfield and beyond, showcasing small creative businesses producing art, jewellery, homewares, gifts and more. The non-profit project Victoria Pavilion Arts based in Uckfield also hosts regular artist and makers markets, and support emerging talent and community-led creativity.

One of the district’s most vibrant annual arts events is Crowborough Open Studios, where painters, potters, jewellers, printmakers and other artists open their workspaces to the public. Spanning Crowborough, Fairwarp, Mayfield and the surrounding villages, the event offers the chance to explore personal studios and purchase work directly from makers. As part of their action-packed programme, the annual Hailsham Festival run art trails and exhibitions for visitors to experience an array of local art and craft within the town centre.

Workshops and Classes

Get hands-on with Wealden’s creative scene through workshops and classes led by local artists and craftspeople.

The Clay Studio, based at beautiful countryside location of Barnsgate Manor on the edge of Ashdown Forest, runs a wide range of pottery workshops for all levels to give people the chance to step away from the outside world and immerse in nature and ceramics. Their weekly classes and one-off sessions focus on hand-building, sculpture, glazing and throwing on the wheel.

Studio Amos in Forest Row is the working studio of sculptor and ceramic artist Peter Amos, offering courses that explore both functional and sculptural approaches to clay. Small-group sessions give participants the chance to experiment with form, texture and technique in a supportive, peaceful setting.

Black Shed Studios is a contemporary art school offering courses in painting, drawing, textiles, printmaking and mixed media. Its rural studios provide an encouraging environment for learners of all abilities, with specialist workshops in everything from botanical art to eco-printing.

For a more casual, drop-in atmosphere, KJ Fine Art Studios in Rotherfield combine their coffee house with casual art sessions and pottery painting. In Mayfield, Art at the Shed offers welcoming, informal workshops inspired by nature and the surrounding countryside.

Art and Creative Shops

Wealden offers a range of unique places to browse and buy art materials, handmade works, gifts and creative curiosities.

Alfriston Arts, located on Alfriston’s picturesque High Street, is a well-loved gallery-shop showcasing locally made pottery, prints, paintings and jewellery – a perfect spot for discovering Wealden and Sussex-based artists.

Near Uckfield, Trading Boundaries occupies a Grade-II listed Georgian coaching inn. The venue combines a showroom of vintage Indian furniture and handcrafted pieces with a fine art gallery (including a dedicated Roger Dean gallery), a café and a live music programme.

In Crowborough, Artytime Scrapstore is a hidden treasure for upcyclers and thrifty makers. The charity collects donated craft materials – everything from fabric and paper to plastics and offcuts – and offers them at low cost to members, supporting creative projects of all kinds.

If you’re searching for more traditional craft supplies, Heathfield Crafts specialises in yarn, haberdashery, knitting kits, cross-stitch and needlecraft, making it a favourite among Wealden textile enthusiasts.

For heritage craft lovers, Thomas Smith’s Trug Shop in Herstmonceux offers a rare chance to see Sussex trugs being made by hand. Visitors can watch craftsmen at work and browse a selection of handcrafted gifts.