Saturday 13 June 2026, 10am-4pm

Set within a supportive studio environment, this workshop focuses on building form, character, and detail while working from a provided armature.

The session begins with a short demonstration covering essential clay techniques, including shaping, joining, and refining surface texture. Jasmine will guide you through the process of developing structure and proportion, before moving into the distinctive features that bring your chosen creature to life.

Suitable for all levels, from beginners to those looking to expand their sculptural skills.

All materials, including a prepared armature, are provided.

Saturday 20 June 2026, 10am-4pm

Join artist Olivia Bax for a hands-on workshop exploring the relationship between drawing, monoprinting, and sculptural form.

This workshop moves fluidly between print and three-dimensional making, encouraging an experimental approach to image, surface, and structure. Through a series of guided exercises, participants will develop ideas in monoprint, exploring mark-making, layering, and composition, before translating and expanding these into simple sculptural forms.

The focus is on process and material thinking—how line becomes volume, how colour shifts between surface and space, and how forms evolve through making rather than planning.

Participants will be encouraged to work intuitively, building confidence through direct engagement with materials and techniques rather than prior experience.

All materials provided.

Olivia Bax in the studio: Photograph by Jean-Philippe Dordolo

Saturday 4 July 2026, 10am-4pm

Develop your painting practice through a focused introduction to oil painting, using native bird subjects as a point of study. Led by artist Jo Shepherd and set within the biodiverse grounds of Matt Black Barn, this workshop combines technical guidance with close observation of the natural world.

The session begins with a concise introduction to core oil painting techniques, including colour mixing, brush handling, and paint application. You will then apply these principles in the development of a small-scale painting of a familiar native bird, building confidence and control as you work.

Suitable for all levels, including beginners and those looking to develop confidence in working with oils.

All materials are provided.

Saturday 1 August 2026, 10am-4pm

Join artist Lucinda Oestreicher for a focused observational drawing workshop set within the grounds of Matt Black Barn.

Working directly from the surrounding landscape, participants will explore practical approaches to drawing on location, with emphasis on structure, proportion, tonal value, and compositional clarity. The session is designed to support close looking and disciplined response to natural forms as they appear in situ.

Set within a biodiverse landscape shaped by ongoing ecological processes, the site offers a rich and varied subject for drawing, where patterns of vegetation, light, and terrain reflect the dynamics of a living environment.

Suitable for all levels, including beginners and those looking to develop confidence in working directly from nature.

All materials provided.

Saturday 22 August 2026, 10-4pm

 Join artist Helen Barff for a hands-on casting workshop exploring how everyday objects and surfaces can be translated into lasting sculptural form.

Working with plaster and a range of materials, participants will experiment with casting from fabrics, found objects, and simple forms, exploring how texture, weight, and absence can be recorded and reinterpreted in three dimensions. The workshop emphasises process-led making, where chance, imprint, and material response shape the outcome as much as intention.

Rather than focusing on a single prescribed subject, participants will be encouraged to consider casting as a way of holding trace—of objects, gestures, and environments—through direct engagement with materials.

All Materials provided.

Saturday 7th March 2026, 10.30am - 1.00pm

Join Lucy Cran from the progressive artist duo Leap Then Look for an immersive workshop that redefines what art education can be. Celebrated for their vibrant participatory projects and playful, inclusive installations, Leap Then Look bring their distinctive interdisciplinary approach to Matt Black Barn in a workshop designed specifically for art educators.

This is a unique opportunity to experience new ways of looking, making, and thinking- through sculpture, performance, film, and collective experimentation.

Whether you teach in schools, galleries, or community settings, this workshop will equip you with dynamic strategies to inspire your learners - and yourself.

All materials are provided.

Sat 30th August, 10-12.30pm or 1.30-4pm £35

Step into the breathtaking grounds of Matt Black Barn for a one-of-a-kind drawing experience with acclaimed artist Lucinda Oestreicher.

Set within 4 acres of wildflower meadow, a lake, chalk stream, and woodland dotted with sculpture, participants will explore the unique shape, movement, and memory of the landscape through guided observation and drawing. Materials and refreshments will be provided.

(The date for this event has been revised and may differ from that advertised in leaflets )

Morning or afternoon sessions available.

Suitable for 18+

Photograph: Lucinda Oestreicher

Sun 27 July, 11am-12.30pm, £35

Join established artist Laura Ford for Two Soldiers and a Barbarian, an immersive drawing workshop set in the beautiful grounds of Matt Black Barn.

Featuring live models from Roman reenactment group Legio Secunda Augusta, this unique event offers a rare opportunity to capture the drama and detail of ancient warriors in action. Blending art and history, it is sure to be an unforgettable drawing experience.

Suitable for ages 18+

Photograph: We are Legio Secunda Augusta

Sat 26 July, 10.30am-1pm, £25

A creative workshop for young artists aged 8-14. Join Leap Then Look for an engaging morning, exploring the power of surprise in sculpture-making. Through interactive activities-including clay sculpting, partner-based drawing, and dynamic construction exercises - participants will discover how unexpected outcomes can fuel our creativity.

Held at Matt Black Barn, this immersive experience invites young artists to experiment, play, and uncover new creative possibilities.

This event has been generously subsidised in part by Chichester City Council to enable broader access and support more people in attending this workshop.

Suitable for ages 8 - 14 years

Photograph: Hugh Fox

Sat 5 July, 10am-4pm, £50

Don’t miss this rare in-person event at Matt Black Barn, as leading industry expert Ceri Hand shares game-changing strategies for building a sustainable artistic career.

This exclusive day of insight and discussion begins with a focused seminar from Ceri Hand, followed by a studio tour and a panel discussion with established sculptors Andrew Sabin and Laura Ford, offering unmissable guidance in an inspiring, sculpture-focused setting.

This event has been generously subsidised in part by Chichester City Council to enable broader access and support more people in attending this event.

Suitable for ages 18+

Photograph: Ricky Narito

Sat 28 June, 11am-12.30pm, £30

Join artist Jasmine Simpson for a unique outdoor drawing workshop featuring live alpacas! Hosted in collaboration with Our Back Garden, a local rare breed farm, this session offers the chance to observe and sketch these gentle creatures in action.

With materials and refreshments provided, Jasmine will guide participants in capturing the alpacas’ unique character on paper. Perfect for all skill levels, this relaxing and creative experience is a must for animal lovers and art enthusiasts alike.

Suitable for ages 18+

Photograph: Moon Flower Films

Sat 7 June, 10-4pm, FREE

Twice a year, Matt Black Barn opens its doors to the public, offering a chance to explore our unique creative space.

Our Spring Open Day will feature a programme of artist-led workshops, perfect for of a range of ages and abilities. Artists Wilfrid Wood and Emily Warren, who will be leading sculpture workshops on plasticine portraiture and bug-building, providing an exciting opportunity to explore new materials, techniques and ideas in an encouraging and hands-on environment.

Visitors are also invited to join guided studio tours for a behind-the-scenes look at the working studios of artists Laura Ford and Andrew Sabin. These intimate tours offer an insight into each artists practise, with plenty of time for questions and conversation.

All Workshops require advance booking and cost £25 per person. Entry to the Open Day is free, and you are welcome to visit without attending a workshop or tour, but please register your visit in advance using the Registration option below.

Photograph: Barney Hindle

Sat 27 September, 10-4pm, FREE

As part of our Open Days, we offer a programme of ticketed artist-led workshops, perfect for of a range of ages and abilities. We are thrilled to welcome artist Abigail Norris and others who will lead workshops and provide an exciting opportunity to explore new materials, techniques, and ideas in an encouraging and hands-on environment!.

Visitors are also invited to join guided studio tours, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the working studios of artists Laura Ford and Andrew Sabin. These intimate tours provide insight into each artist’s practice and the evolving nature of their work, with plenty of opportunity for questions and conversation!.

All workshops require advance booking.

Entry to the Open Day is free, and you are very welcome to visit without attending a workshop or tour. However, if you plan to attend without booking a ticketed activity, please register your visit in advance using the Registration option below.

Postponed *New Date TBC

Join artist Paul Kindersley and his troupe for Ship of Fools, a mesmerising performance at Matt Black Barn, inspired by Hieronymus Bosch’s iconic painting.

Kindersley and his troupe will begin their performance by assembling the set, an immersive installation of hand-painted drapery, against which a theatrical spectacle will unfold, bringing to life the voyage of a boatful of revellers lost in indulgence, unknowingly drifting toward their fate.

Suitable for 18+

Photograph:  Ali Tollervey