The Sussex Portrait Artist of the Year competition<\/a> began as the Worthing Portrait Artist of the Year, founded by Cathy Verney as a fundraiser for the Grade II listed St. Paul\u2019s Church in Worthing. Over time, the building was sold and transformed into The Venue, a multi-award-winning live music space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Last year, when Cathy decided to step down as organizer and no one had come forward to continue the event, it risked being lost entirely. Around the same time, I had launched the Sussex Creative Art Network CIC, establishing Chichester CAN<\/a> with the goal of creating opportunities for local artists and strengthening the creative community. Having previously discussed the idea of hosting a similar event in Chichester, it felt like a natural progression to take on the Worthing competition and expand it to cover the whole of Sussex.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our vision is for Sussex Portrait Artist of the Year to become an annual celebration of portrait artistry, providing a platform for emerging and established artists while also serving as Chichester CAN\u2019s primary fundraiser. The funds raised will support a range of creative projects throughout the year, helping artists to showcase their work, collaborate, and grow within a thriving artistic community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How important is it to give a platform\u00a0to upcoming artists?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n At Chichester Can, we are dedicated to providing opportunities for local artists to showcase their work, lead workshops, and contribute to a thriving creative community in Chichester and beyond.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n From the very start, the goal of this event has been to offer a platform to as many artists as possible. While the nine finalists remain at the heart of the competition, we have also ensured that other talented creatives are involved. Instead of purchasing off-the-shelf trophies, we commissioned Sussex artist Curly Mark to design unique awards. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019ve invited three artists to host a pop-up stall, giving them the chance to present and sell their work alongside pieces from our judges, Wendy and Amy. Additionally, Chichester-based singer Jess will take to the stage throughout the day to share her music, and photographer Doug Henry West has generously volunteered his time to document the event. By prioritizing inclusivity and celebrating artistic talent in multiple forms, we hope to create an event that truly supports and uplifts the local creative community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What makes SPAOTY exciting?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you’re a fan of Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year<\/em>, you’ll love this! We are honoured to have last year\u2019s Sky Arts<\/em> winner, Wendy Barret<\/a>\u00a0 on our judging panel, alongside acclaimed artist and host of two artist of the year masterclass on Sky Arts,\u00a0 Amy Dury<\/a>, and Eden Maseyk, co-founder of Helm Gallery,<\/a> in Brighton<\/p>\n\n\n\n The competition will feature three celebrity sitters: Dunstan Bruce, lead singer of Chumbawamba; comedian Rich Wilson; and actor Richie Campbell, known for his role in Grace<\/em>, filmed in Brighton. Each of the sitters will pose for three of the finalists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With over 60 artists submitting their work, selecting the final nine was no easy feat for our judges. Gary Mansfield, artist and host of the renowned Ministry of Arts<\/a> podcast, will serve as our event host, conducting interviews with artists, sitters, and judges throughout the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Taking place on March 22nd, 2025, from 1 PM to 6:00 PM at The Venue<\/a> in Worthing, this live painting competition will feature nine outstanding finalists, each tasked with creating a portrait in just four hours\u2014all in front of a live audience. Our esteemed panel of three judges will assess the final works and crown this year’s Sussex Portrait Artist of the Year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The event is a showcase of Sussex\u2019s vibrant creative community, as well as a major fundraiser for Chichester CAN\u2014a non-profit initiative supporting local artists through exhibitions, workshops, and networking opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Artists:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In regards to regional art scenes, how do you see the health of the art scene outside of London?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n While London remains a dominant cultural hub, increased funding, decentralization efforts, and digital platforms have allowed regional artists and organizations to gain more recognition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The South Coast has developed its own identity, supported by local councils, festivals like the Brighton Festival and Coastal Currents, and an increasing number of artist-led initiatives. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Funding and infrastructure challenges remain, but the region\u2019s affordability compared to London and its strong community networks make it an exciting and sustainable place for artists to live and work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Challenges such as funding disparities and accessibility still exist, but overall, the art scene outside London is flourishing and becoming more self-sustaining.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What makes for a great art competition?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A great art competition, like Sussex Portrait Artist of the Year, should not only celebrate artistic excellence but also actively engage the public and support artists in their careers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By combining public interaction with tangible career support, the competition can become more than just an award\u2014it can serve as a platform that nurtures artistic growth and strengthens the cultural identity of Sussex.<\/p>\n\n\n\n See the artist\u2019s submissions below:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" This month artPAKK are excited to support the Sussex Portrait Artist of The Year 2025 through offering a selection of our industry leading bags to the finalists. The competition is a celebration of artistic talent in Sussex and takes place in the beautiful surroundings of The Venue, Worthing, where 9 artists go head to head […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":72,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-71","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorised"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artpakk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artpakk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artpakk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artpakk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artpakk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=71"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.artpakk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":75,"href":"https:\/\/www.artpakk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71\/revisions\/75"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artpakk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/72"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artpakk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=71"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artpakk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=71"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artpakk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=71"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.artpakk.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Louise-Duggan-683x1024.jpg\")
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We\u2019re excited to be supporting this great competition and look forward to seeing the results, wishing the best of luck to all involved! Shop our sustainable art packaging solutions<\/a> and register for your account<\/a> today. Find out more about the competition and via the official website<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n