01 Sep 2025
Herts Open Studios returns for its 35th year from September 6-28, and artists and makers across St Albans will be opening their studio doors to visitors.
This much loved annual event offers the public a chance to meet artists, watch demonstrations, and see creativity in action. from leather work to landscapes, woodturning to watercolours, and sculpture to seascapes.
The programme includes painters, potters, and makers of all kinds, with a printed map and brochure available in supermarkets and arts venues to help plan your visits. This year, a fold of chairs – a midcentury furniture and upholstery store in St Albans, will be bringing its workshop right into the shop window for a special installation called ‘Anatomy of a Chair’.
Throughout September, all upholstery work will be completed in full public view, offering a rare opportunity to watch traditional upholstery techniques up close. From webbing and hand-stitching to restoration and woodwork, every part of the process will be visible to passers-by and visitors.
Owner Caroline Hoggarth said: “So much of upholstery happens behind the scenes; people see the finished piece but not the skill, patience, and detail that goes into it. With ‘Anatomy of a Chair’ for Herts Open Studios, we wanted to share that process and bring it right into the heart of St Albans.”
For more information on the event, including artist listings and venue opening times, visit https://www.hvaf.org.uk/our-events/herts-open-studios/
or pick up a printed brochure.
Photos by Emily Dicks.
