Creative Crawley

Happy International Day of Families 🫂 Looking for free family-friendly fun this summer? Creative Crawley welcomes all to join us for our exciting programme of events and activities right on your doorstep – all for free (or very low cost) Some of our family-friendly highlights include outdoor dance performances from world famous dance company Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures and the return of the Crawley Fusion Mela – a weekend of live entertainment, including music, dance, film and workshops and more... See what’s on for your family by visiting the What’s On link in our bio Photo credits: Matthew Bourne's New Adventures, photo by Stephen Daly #FunForFamiles #InternationalDayofFamilies #CrawleyEvents #FamilyEvents #WestSussexEvents

Creative Crawley invites everyone to take part in a vibrant summer season of free or very low cost events, created especially for the people of Crawley. Showcasing free, world-class performances, the programme brings creativity into everyday spaces across the town. Check them out! Special thanks to our partners and artists involved: @crawleycollege @hemingwaydesign @sophianewton_dance @sarahmapleart @karlsingporewala @ccyscrawley @manor_royal @trigger_stuff @africannightfever @seetapateldance Ertza Dance @dimensionsuk @mbnewadventures @stackedwonky Global Streets @festivaldotorg Photo credits: 1. @lizikamba for African Night Fever by @iangreenlandphoto , 2. Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures, Doorstep Duets 2025, photo by Stephen Daly, 3. Shree by Seeta Patel Dance, 4. Otempodiz by Ertza Dance, 5. Stacked Wonky’s 55, credit Jesse Roth, 6. & 7. African Night Fever, 8. Choo Choo by Beeja at Seymour Primary School, Broadfield, Crawley, credit Kaleidoshoots, 9. Self Portait of Sarah Maple, 10. Karl Singporewala by Ian Greenland, 11. Beth Williams Algae Workshop #crawley #creativecrawley #freevents #whatson #familyevents #arts #funforfamiles #sussex Funded by @aceagrams and @crawleybc

Know a creative organisation that wants to employ young people but doesn't know where to start? Breakthrough 2026 is recruiting employers! Breakthrough is a 6-month programme which makes it easy and low-risk to bring talented 18-25 year-olds into your team, with full wraparound support for both you and your new hire. As part of our commitment to equality, inclusion, and supporting pathways into the creative industries, Creative Crawley is proud to support and participate in programmes like this that connect emerging talent with organisations. If you want to hear more about a first-hand experience with the Breakthrough programme, you can read a blog written by our placement, Luis, on our website. What the organisation gets: - Help scoping the perfect role - Matched with the right candidate - Ongoing support throughout the 6 months - Accessible fees (subsidised for small/medium orgs) Programme: 28 Sept 2026 - 26 March 2027 Apply by: 18 May 2026 Join an info session: 6 May, 12:30 - 13:30 Register your interest via the link in @_artswork_ ’s bio This programme is supported with funding from @aceagrams Image by kaleidoshoots #Breakthrough2026 #EmployYoungPeople #CreativeCareers #ArtsJobs #YouthEmployment #Artswork

Six new voices - one shared purpose. We are delighted to welcome six new trustees to Creative Crawley - bringing fresh insight from the fields of youth work, cultural placemaking, digital inclusion, planning, higher education and audience development. Each of them brings something different - a commitment to community, a drive for equity, a belief that more people should feel confident stepping into creative spaces. Together, they join an already strong board that helps guide how creativity shows up across Crawley, every day. Read more about Creative Crawley’s Board of Trustees at the link in our bio. With our new and existing trustees alongside us, we continue our mission to make quality creativity happen for everyone, every day, in Crawley. Follow along to see what happens next. Opening image @misshighlegkick by @iangreenlandphoto . @charis.edwards2 @kjq77 @lorrainecheesmur @adamjoolia #CreativeCrawley #CreativityForEveryone #Crawley

What if arts and culture weren’t the finishing touch—but part of the foundation? Our Creative Director, Louise Blackwell, spoke to Richard Freeman on the Sussex and the City podcast to explore why creativity should be seen as essential civic infrastructure—shaping identity, driving opportunity, and helping places like Crawley thrive. As conversations around a future Sussex mayor gather pace, this episode asks: what role should culture really play in building our region’s future? 🎧 Go to the link in our bio to have a listen. Join the conversation in the comments. #CreativeCrawley #CulturalLeadership #SussexAndTheCity #ArtsAndCulture #PlaceMaking

‘Having a studio space in the centre of Crawley is something I never could have imagined a few years ago.’ We’re excited to share that 3 artists are now based at @countymall . Following the closure of West Green Studios, we were determined to keep supporting our creative community. Now, part of Creative Crawley’s disused shop unit turned creative space in County Mall has become a vibrant new hub for artists-in-residence: textile artist Beth Williams @beexbeth , visual artist Sarah Maple @sarahmapleart , and architect and sculptor Karl Singporewala @karlsingporewala Developed in collaboration with the artists themselves, these studios are designed not just as workspaces, but as places for connection, creativity, and community— right in the heart of Crawley. The studio is already full of energy, ideas, and collaboration—and we can’t wait to see what comes next. Find out more about the artists at the link in our bio. Images of the Artist Studios at County Mall by @iangreenlandphoto as follows: 1. Beth Williams, Sarah Maple, and Karl Singporewala. 2. Sarah Maple 3. Beth Williams 4. Karl Singporewala

Thank you to @festivaldotorg @sismografolot for a fantastic few days seeing new international dance performances in a beautiful setting and meeting new collaborators @strikealightfestival @brumhippodrome @revolutonarts @castindoncaster special thanks to @kevinwratten for organising and @aceagrams for funding this important network for us in Crawley - watch out in the coming months and years for new international performances in Crawley…

What does it feel like to experience a live orchestra for the first time… right here in Crawley? While we prepare for our summer season of free or low cost creative events we are taking time to reflect on some of the highlights of our spring season. This short film by videographer Clive Martin @focusfilmschool captures the audience reactions from our recent Relaxed Concert with the @royalphilorchestra at The Charis Centre . Open. Inclusive. On your doorstep. From first-time audience members, to families and young people exploring music in their own way, this was an afternoon shaped by curiosity, care and connection. One audience member announced “I cannot believe this is happening in Crawley.” Read more about the Relaxed Concert in Crawley at the link in our bio. What would you like to see next, closer to home? Tell us in the comments.

Happy Earth Day 🌍 At Creative Crawley, caring for people and the planet is at the heart of what we do. Through sustainable practices and creative projects, we’re committed to making culture that connects communities while treading lightly on the Earth. Celebrate with us by visiting Invasive Species - a free pop-up installation by Rubbish Artist Tracey Graham @rubbish_artistry at County Mall (Unit 79/80). Using discarded plastics, this playful yet powerful work highlights the lasting impact of single-use waste on our environment, transforming it into imaginative sculptural “critters” that invite reflection and change. Drop by our window and take a closer look this Earth Day 💚 Photography by @iangreenlandphoto

Our latest blog post is an exciting one for young people looking for work or pursuing creative careers. March 2026 has marked the end of Artswork's 2025 Breakthrough Programme and, encouraging more young creatives to get involved, graduate and Creative Crawley staff member Luis McLellan reflects on his experience with @_artswork_ , a charity dedicated to uplifting young people entering the arts and cultural industries. Visit the link in our bio to read more. Illustrations by Luis McLellan

Massive thankyou to the @creativecrawley team for their help and support installing the Invasive Species fish tank last week. You lot rock! The installation is up at the County Mall in Crawley for the next month... come and have a look if you are in the area. #invasivespecies #pollutionart #recycledartwork #makingitwork #goodforeveryone

Today marks the launch of a new art installation on display in the window gallery of Creative Crawley’s creative space Unit 79/80 @countymall . This installation by Rubbish Artist Tracey Graham @rubbish_artistry takes a wry look at the types and number of plastics that make it to the ocean and harm wildlife. Rubbish Artist’s installation is one of a series of brilliant artworks commissioned by Creative Crawley for display in pop-up window galleries around the town. Creative Crawley believes that high quality art that is visible, accessible and free for people to experience is essential. Creative Crawley’s Community Producer Becky Jones explains why the window galleries are so important; “Art is a human right and through creating the Window Galleries in easily accessible spaces, such as the local shopping centre, people have been able to experience art by stumbling upon it as they are out and about. It’s a welcome surprise, something to pique your interest and perhaps even make you think differently about the world we live in.” If you have spotted one of the installations in the window of Unit 79/80 in County Mall, or previously at West Green Studios on 1, Town Barn Road, please take a few moments to complete the Window Gallery Feedback Form at the link in our bio. Photo by Rubbish Artist Tracey Graham. Image Description: A playful collage shows several fish made from crumpled crisp packets bags swimming together. Each “fish” has a bright, circular eye and folded fins and tails formed from the packaging. The background is a soft blue ocean scene with light shining down from above, giving the impression that these colorful, recycled fish are moving through the water.