From kiln-formed glass in South Marston and wildlife paintings in a Wanborough barn, to ceramics in Eastcott, paintings produced in a former living room and a 10ft Terminator robot off Whitworth Road, the event offers an unusually broad definition of what Swindon’s art scene actually looks like and much of it exists well outside traditional galleries.
The free annual event, which continues next weekend on 26th and 27th September, invites artists to turn their homes, studios, workshops and shared venues into temporary exhibition spaces where visitors can see their work and, crucially, meet the people making it.
It is an event with a long history. Swindon Open Studios was first held in 2004 and has run annually since 2008, with organisers saying 2025 saw the highest number of participating artists and venues in its history.
Our self-selected tour began in South Marston, where glass artist Maria McCann had opened her home to visitors.
Surrounded by brightly coloured bowls and pieces produced using sheet, powdered and strands of glass, Maria said part of the attraction of Open Studios was being able to show people processes they might otherwise never encounter. She said:
“I’m so passionate about what I do. I just want to share with everybody the joys of glass because a lot of them really don’t know a lot about it.
“So just educate and share, and hopefully get them inspired enough to have a go.”
Alongside her glasswork was another, much newer pursuit. Maria only began folk art painting just over a year ago having, she says, never previously picked up a paintbrush. Her collection now takes inspiration from American, German, Dutch and mediaeval styles, along with traditional canal boat painting.
From South Marston, our trail headed to the Barn at Great Moorleaze Farm near Wanborough, where several artists had come together under one roof. Among them was Nicola King, whose work will already be familiar to visitors to several Old Town businesses.
Nicola specialises in British wildlife and wildflower art, with paintings of everything from field mice and robins to kingfishers, foxes and other creatures she encounters while walking. Her relationship with wildlife became much deeper after spending time at Oak and Furrows Wildlife Rescue Centre. She said:
“I got to raise some baby fox cubs, possibly the best experience of my life.
“From that moment I thought I can use my artwork to help with local wildlife rescue centres.
“They rescued me as well. When I go on my walks now, I see all the wonderful stuff that’s out there and I have a relationship now.
“So I come back to the studio, study the things that I’ve seen, and it makes me see more when I go out and walk next time. It’s just this wonderful cycle.”
King says 10% of her artwork sales are donated to local wildlife charities and rescue centres.
Further into Wanborough, artist Sheryll K Fox has taken the concept of a home studio particularly literally.
“This did used to be the living room, but I threw the family out and I paint in here now,” she joked.
Her walls are filled with landscapes, many inspired by Wiltshire, including Liddington and Stanton Park, alongside work developed from sketches made while sitting in fields around Wanborough.
The exceptionally dry summer has also inadvertently brought the Wiltshire countryside closer to Fox’s preferred palette of oranges, ochres, warm tones and olive greens. For her, however, one of Open Studios’ greatest strengths is not a particular style or medium, but the range of experience it brings together. She said:
“It’s a fabulous community event.
“You’ve got really experienced artists, and anyone who’s completely new can also take part, so I like the fact that you’ve got that very inclusive environment.
“I’ve got to know lots of fantastic artists through doing it.”
That accessibility becomes even more apparent back in Swindon at Eastcott Studios. Ceramic artist Lisa Marie Wright had visited Open Studios for years before finally deciding to exhibit herself for the first time this year.
“I’ve loved doing it,” she said.
“The positive reception you get back from other artists and from the public, it’s been lovely.”
But perhaps the clearest argument against the persistent suggestion that Swindon lacks culture came from Eastcott Studios founder and Swindon Open Studios chair Jo McAree.
“Anybody that says there’s no culture in Swindon wants their heads testing, to be perfectly honest,” she said.
“Because you just scratch the surface. You just open a door here, open a door there, and there’s people working away, beavering away on their passion.”
Looking around Eastcott Studios, several of the ceramicists exhibiting had first arrived simply to try pottery before gradually developing their skills, and in some cases their own businesses. McAree said her role was less about telling people exactly what to make and more about giving them somewhere to begin.
“It’s not about the end product, it’s about that journey,” she said.
“I’ve provided a facility that encourages just about anyone to come and get their hands dirty, roll those sleeves up, have a go, and you can take it the way you want to.”
A short walk away at Eastcott Community Centre, Ruth Wintle was displaying another recognisably Swindon strand of art. Her detailed pictures of buildings have included local businesses and landmarks, recording places not simply as architecture but as part of the town’s story.
“I like buildings because they are drawn, built, lived in, worked in, and they have history all of their own,” she said.
“They just show what Swindon’s all about.”
But perhaps the broadest interpretation of “Open Studios” came at the final stop. At Podpad Studios on Whitworth Road, paintings and pottery give way to animatronic dragons, robots, motorcycles and enormous film-inspired vehicles.
The family-run Swindon company, operated by Anna and Mark Enright, creates work for film, television and exhibitions, often using recycled and repurposed materials.
Among the creations on display are a Blade Runner-inspired electric “Spinner”, large robots and sculptures, while the studio is also hosting other artists during Open Studios.
Mark Enright, a former teacher who taught art, music and drama for 25 years, said the spectacular creations help attract people who might never deliberately visit an art exhibition. And that, he believes, is precisely the point.
“Art isn’t necessarily just canvases and pieces on a wall,” he said.
“When you’ve got a Batmobile in a room, people want to come along and they want to see it, and their kids want to see it.
“But what it then does, it exposes them to other artwork as well.”
It is perhaps the best explanation of Swindon Open Studios itself. You might arrive because you want to see a Batmobile, buy a painting, look at pottery or find out how somebody turns sheets of glass into a bowl.
But open enough doors across Swindon and something else becomes apparent. The art scene was already here. Most of it was simply happening behind closed doors.
Swindon Open Studios continues on Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th September. Entry is free, with individual venue opening times and the interactive map available at the Swindon Open Studios website.
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