ArtWorks Exhibition 2026
Key details
When:
Date:
Time:
12th - 27th Sep
10:00 - 16:00
Where:
Blackthorpe Barn, Rougham
Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
SatNav: IP30 9HZ
Pricing:
Free Entry
Artworks are for sale and are priced individually
26th Year of Artworks Exhibitions
With its reputation for high standards of fresh and contemporary work, Artworks (known as ArtworksEast online) seeks to interest and inspire in a wide range of media created by 30 of East Anglia’s leading artists and has been doing so for over 25 years now.
A highlight of the East Anglian art scene, this is a great opportunity to see contemporary 2D and 3D work by 30 of East Anglia’s established and popular artists. All the exhibits are new to Artworks each year and are for sale.
A great favourite of the exhibition is the Mini Artworks Prize Draw; thirty mini artworks created by the Artworks artists will be on display during the main exhibition and the proceeds benefit their Schools Programme and a chosen East Anglian charity.
Meet the Artist
There are also daily opportunities during September to Meet The Artist at the exhibition, where one or more artists will be demonstrating how they create their work.
You can sign-up for tickets to be invited to the Private Viewing for this show by going to the Artworks East website.
The setting for the exhibition is the spectacular thatched, late medieval Blackthorpe Barn, part of the Rougham Estate.
Important information
There is plenty of free parking at Blackthorpe Barn.
Accessible parking is near the café/shop.
More parking is available slightly further down the avenue.
Please be aware that this is a rural location and paths can be muddy depending on the weather conditions.
Gallery
01/14
02/14
03/14
04/14
05/14
06/14
07/14
08/14
09/14
10/14
11/14
12/14
13/14
14/14
26th Anniversary
This September Artworks will be celebrating its 26th annual exhibition at Blackthorpe Barn, Rougham Estate near Bury St Edmunds.
The initial idea for Artworks was the inspiration of friends Katie Millard and Graham Portlock. They stood together in the beautiful 15th Century thatched barn, looked around and decided as one it was the perfect setting for an art exhibition. Then they set to, phoned artist friends and colleagues and the first exhibition was soon underway proving such a success that there was a resounding vote to exhibit the next year and so it has continued.
Over the years Artworks has also established strong ties with local schools, providing free workshops and inviting school visits which are often as surprising to the artists as to the children.
As has been the practice for 26 years, all the work exhibited is new to Artworks and ranges from colourful abstract art to exquisite botanical illustrations, dramatic landscape paintings to insightful portraiture, robust ceramics to delicate figurative work, elegant bronze sculptures to surreal constructions.
At the exhibition there will be opportunities to meet the artists and take part in the popular ‘Mini Artworks Prize draw’ which raises money for this year’s charity.
“We still have original members in the group and none of us ever dreamt, when we took part in the first exhibition at Blackthorpe Barn in 1999, that we would still be going strong years later. It’s a very exciting time and shows that people in East Anglia have a real interest and appreciation for high quality art from professional artists.
As a group, we have always encouraged the addition of new guest artists and this approach has worked well over the years. It means in addition to the new work of familiar artists there are always surprises.”
Gillian Crossley-Holland, Chair and one of the founder members of Artworks
Where to find us
Plenty of free parking on site
Please keep to the 5mph limit
Disabled access available
This is a rural location and paths can be muddy
Blackthorpe Barn is situated just south of Junction 45 of the A14, three miles east of Bury St Edmunds, in the village of Rougham.
Look out for the entrance gates to a long tree-lined avenue at the White House junction.
The Barn is down the avenue, on the right.
Related Events
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Two new specials this week not to miss out on!
Our brunch special is a breakfast bap of brioche bun with sausage meat pattie, bacon, emmental cheese, sun-dried tomato mayo, fried egg with salsa verde.
Or…
Salad of the week - strawberry, rocket, feta, cucumber, sunflower seeds with balsamic glaze.
Only available this week so don’t miss out.
#roughamestate #specialoftheweek
A look back at the last days of Rougham Sunflowers 2026🌻
It’s been a week since the sunflower field closed its gates for this season, and what a great year it was! The flowers were glorious this year, with the early rain and then the long, warm, sunny days. Thank you for coming to see them and spend time at the field. We’ve really enjoyed seeing you here!
The sunflowers ended in style with the Sundowner evening on Saturday, which was everything we hoped it would be: good food, great music, drinks in the golden hour and the most wonderful atmosphere as the sun went down over the flowers.
On the final Sunday afternoon, the Canvas Club workshop group painted their sunflowers at the field and some truly beautiful paintings went home with some very happy painters.
None of it would be possible, however, without our brilliant team, who worked so hard throughout the season to make the sunflower experience what it was. The team encompasses so many people who all contribute to the end result - from drilling the seed earlier in the year, to setting up everything in the field for visitors including making games and props, to those manning and servicing the field and the Roots kiosk each day, who open up early and close and clean up each evening, and those in the background who pull the event together in many other ways - it’s a HUGE team effort. Thank you to each of you!! You have been amazing and we are very grateful to every one.
🎃Now it’s time to look ahead to the autumn festival of pumpkins in October. They will be in the same field as the sunflowers this year and will be open every weekend in October and daily for the final week, from 24th-31st.
There’s a great line-up of food trucks and two evening Pumpkins by Torchlight events being planned. Keep your eyes open for more details, here on socials and on our website.
✨And while the pumpkins are in full swing, on 19th October, the Christmas Festival will begin with the opening of the Christmas Shop at Blackthorpe Barn just half a mile down the road.
There’s so much to look forward to! We look forward to seeing you again soon!👋
#roughamestate #burystedmunds #suffolkdaysout
We’re hiring at Rougham Estate!
We have a number of seasonal vacancies available across the Estate, with roles to suit people looking for weekend work, seasonal hours or the chance to join our team during some of our busiest times of year.
We’re currently recruiting for a range of roles, including opportunities around our Pumpkin season and in Roots Café as we head towards Christmas.
If you enjoy working with people, being part of a busy team and working in a unique setting, we’d love to hear from you.
You can find our current vacancies and full details, including how to apply, on Indeed - or the link in our bio.
#RoughamEstate #JobsSuffolk #SuffolkJobs
OPEN AS USUAL
After a short closure we are open as usual from today: Roots Café 9-4pm and the Lifestyle and Garden shop 10-4pm.
Thank you for your understanding and we look forward to seeing you!
#roughamestate
A quick update for our visitors…
Roots Café and the Shop will be closed this Thursday 20th August due to an unexpected interruption to our water supply.
We’re sorry for any inconvenience this may cause and hope to welcome you back as soon as possible.
Thank you for your understanding.
#temporaryclosure
Ever wondered how to make food last a little longer while creating something delicious at the same time?
Join us at Rougham Estate for our Fermentation Workshop on Saturday 5 September, led by chef Rowen Halstead of Waste Not Rowen. @wastenotrowen
This hands-on workshop will introduce you to the simple art of fermentation, from the science behind it to practical ways of reducing food waste at home.
You’ll learn how to make your own curried root vegetable kraut and spiced pickled pears, with everything provided for you to get stuck in.
No previous experience is needed, just come along, learn something new and take your own ferments home to enjoy.
When & where: Saturday 5 September | 11am–12.30pm | £38 per person | The Meadow Room, Rougham Estate.
Places are limited and booking is essential.
Find out more and book via the link in our bio.
#fermentationworkshop #roughamestate
🌻 Today is the last day of Rougham Sunflowers 2026.
It’s been a wonderful season, and what a way to end it. Yesterday’s sundowner was fabulous - thank you to everyone who came along.
Today, Sunday 16th, the field is open for one final day, 9am-5pm and this afternoon we close with the Canvas Club: Paint Your Own Sunflower - a fitting farewell to the sunflowers if ever there was one.
If you haven’t made it to the field yet this year, today is your last chance.
Come and wander and enjoy these days of summer.
It’s still free to enter, no booking needed.
There won’t be any face painting today.
The field closes for good at 5pm.
Thank you to everyone who has visited this summer. Here are some of the pictures you have shared with us and footage from the past few weeks. Can you spot yourself?
Goodbye sunflowers, you’ve been great … and you know what’s coming next… who’s already getting excited about the 🎃, coming soon in October? 🙋
#roughamestate #roughamsunflowers #burystedmunds #suffolksummer @noelleescreative
It’s been a long hot summer, but despite this, the harvest is now safely in.
A HUGE thank you to this line up… our harvest team, for all their work in completing the combinable crop harvest across the Estate.
It’s a busy time of year and their dedication, often working long days in some of the warmest conditions we’ve known, is hugely appreciated.
And, of course, no harvest would be complete without the obligatory annual harvest photo!
Another season done. Well done team RE 🙌
Tag us @RoughamEstate
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