Wayfarers Arcade launches Contemporary Art Fair launches in support of Bebe's Hive

The historic Wayfarers Arcade on Lord Street in Southport town centre will host the inaugural Wayfarers Contemporary Art Fair from Thursday 16th July to Saturday 18th July 2026.

It also coincides with The 154th Open Golf Championship taking place at nearby Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, with one of golf’s premier events due to attract around 300,000 visitors from around the world.

The Wayfarers Contemporary Art Fair is the brainchild of a professional artist collective based in Southport’s Wayfarers Arcade: Play On Productions CIC, Gallery More, and Wayfarers Arts.

It opens up a new North West platform for the UK’s contemporary art market to help strengthen the town’s cultural ecology.

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Wayfarers Contemporary Art Fair curator Dr Alexis K Johnson said:

“Born and bred in Southport, I jokingly called myself an ‘economic migrant’ when I moved to London to work as a professional artist. When I came home I found myself having to travel to continue to work as an artist.

“The Art Fair looks to address this, by providing a new North West based platform for artists.

“We put the call out and the response has been overwhelming, with artists from across the North West, the UK and even Europe taking part.”

The Art Fair will be set beneath the Wayfarers Arcade’s iconic glass dome, and curated as a Biennale to shine a spotlight on artists at different stages of their career, from internationally renowned to mid and emerging contemporary artists.

The art itself will tell the story of place, play and folk. Work for sale includes fine art painting, print, sculpture, ceramics, photography and textiles.

Wayfarers Arcade on Lord Street in Southport. Photo by Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport

Artists exhibiting include:

Tony Heaton OBE
Geoffrey Robinson
Tina Dempsey
Samantha Messias
Julian Taylor.
Plus Southport’s artistic pioneers Brian Lewis, Peter Owen, Grant Searle and Sefton Art prize winners Peter Layzell and Jess Woolston
And local emerging talent such as Zulay Sayalero and Kerry Koyne

Over 100 contemporary artists are taking part.

The Wayfarers Contemporary Art Fair has teamed up with Bebe’s Hive CIC as their charity partner. It was set up to support grieving children and families through creativity, following the July 2024 tragedy in Southport. They will receive 10% of all art sold.

The preview on Thursday 16th July 2026 (5pm-9pm) will provide a space for acquisition, including live entertainment and a charity auction, with all proceeds going to Bebe’s Hive.

The fair will be open to the public for free on Friday 17th July and Saturday 18th July 2026 (10am–5pm).

Shirley-Ann O’Neill, Director of the Visual Artists Association, said:

“The inaugural Wayfarers Contemporary Art Fair demonstrates how art can bring new life to historic and under-used spaces.

“Bringing together more than 100 artists, galleries and independent creatives within Wayfarers Arcade during the The 154th Open Golf Championship at Royal Birkdale, the fair celebrates and supports regional artistic talent while contributing to Southport’s growing reputation as a cultural destination.”

The Contemporary Art Fair aligns with a broader national trend: the adaptive reuse of heritage sites as platforms for cultural production.

The VAA will host an artist networking coffee morning on Friday 17th July (11am-12.30pm) to help foster Southport’s cultural ecology.

The talk ‘Selling Art Today’ by Jackie Sarafopoulos, Curator of Modern Contemporary Art, on Saturday 18th July (11.30am-12.30pm) will share about sustainable art practice for artists. Wayfarers Contemporary Art Fair is both a marketplace and a meeting point.

It will provide meaningful opportunities for art lovers to meet and connect with high-quality contemporary art and artists outside of London’s established market centres.

The ticketed preview for collectors, curators and media will take place on Thursday 16th July (5pm–9pm), offering early access to artworks and opportunities to engage directly and build relationships with artists.

The talk ‘Collecting Art Today’ by Jackie Sarafopoulos on Saturday 18th July (2pm-3pm) will help support a culture of collecting. The event is timed to coincide with The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale Golf Club that will bring more than 300,000 visitors to Southport, to ensure accessibility for both seasoned collectors and first-time buyers.

The Art Fair builds on the momentum of Southport’s town of culture. A programme of cultural activity aimed at revitalising Southport’s identity and visitor economy.

Southport’s MP Patrick Hurley said:

“As Member of Parliament for Southport and the Northern Parishes, I’m delighted to support the Wayfarers Contemporary Art Fair, taking place in the historic Wayfarers Arcade from 16th to 18th July 2026.

“This is a brilliant new initiative for the town, bringing contemporary art right into the heart of Southport. With around 300,000 visitors expected for The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, it’s a fantastic opportunity to showcase what Southport has to offer.

“The fair also shines a light on one of our most beautiful and much-loved spaces.

“It’s great to see the arcade being brought back into use in a way that people can enjoy.

“Best of all, it’s free to attend. I encourage everyone – whether you’re local or visiting – to come along, take a look, and support what promises to be a fantastic event.”