Public art in the city

Learn about public art in Brighton & Hove.

What is public art

The term ‘public art’ is used to define a broad range of art. This includes permanent and temporary installations and artworks that reflect the life of the city, its communities, and its visitors.

Public art is for everyone and can be found across the city.

Public Art Strategy

Read our Public Art Strategy for Brighton & Hove.

The purpose of the Public Art Strategy is to provide a framework for public art in Brighton & Hove until 2032. It has been developed as a shared vision to embed public art into the fabric of the city to reflect Brighton & Hove’s unique history, diverse communities, creativity, innovation and energy. 

The strategy has been prepared during a time when the purpose and value of public space is being re-evaluated and re-discovered. This has provided a unique opportunity to reconsider how art in the public realm might evolve. It considers:

  • what is most relevant to Brighton & Hove residents
  • how their voices can be represented and involved in creating public art

Public Art Strategy supporting documents

Further documents have been developed to support the strategy including the Public Art Planning Advice Note and Public Art Commissioning Toolkit. They provide guidance for those commissioning public art, to promote excellence and establish protocols in this field.

Contact the Arts Development team

The Arts Development team provide input and advice on commissioning public art in the city. To contact the Arts Development team send an email to arts@brighton-hove.gov.uk.

Public art opportunities

You can find the most up-to-date information for public art opportunities on the Culture In Our City website.

About our public art commissions

Since the first commission in 1992, public art has contributed to Brighton & Hove's identity as a city of creativity.

Our public art commissions build artists' skills and realise their artistic ambitions as part of creative placemaking projects, new housing developments and the regeneration of key districts across the city.

Using innovation and experimentation these works celebrate Brighton & Hove's communities and landscapes. They increase the use of open spaces and create important environments for residents and visitors, which helps ensure a cultural legacy for the future.

Public art trails

You can use our public art trail guides to view the city's public art.

Public art trail 1 - Brighton Town Centre.

Part one: a journey from station to shore.

Public art trail 2 - Brighton Town Centre continued.

Part two: from central to east.

Public art trail 3 - The Hove Experience.

For adventurers (using foot or bus) and experienced road cyclists desiring a longer route.

Public art trail 4 - After Dark.

For nighttime explorers keen to view city artworks using breathtaking light and illumination.

Locations of public art

Find the locations of public art on Google Maps.

Details of public art in the city are given in the below tables.

Sculpture

Click on the links of each sculpture for more information. 

Title

Artist

Location

Afloat

Hamish Black

Groyne on seafront

AIDS Memorial Sculpture

Romany Bruce

New Steine

'Cut' and 'Sediment'

Ekkehard Altenburger

Connaught Road

Kiss Wall

Bruce Williams

Brighton Seafront

Passacaglia

Charles Haddock

Brighton Beach

Pollen Grain

Steve Geliot

University of Brighton

Rocket

Kevin Freeman and Lisa Ducie

Glass Pavilion (opposite Royal Pavilion)

Series of carved oak sculptures

Walter Bailey

Hove Park

Sylvana sculptures

Simon Moss and Peter Layton with Jeremy Lord

Wellend Villas, Springfield Road

Twins

Charlie Hooker

Churchill Square

Gates and railings

Title

Artist

Location

Airfix Gate

Christian Funnel

Pelham Terrace, Coombe Road

Aldi Sculptural Railings

Ben Prothero

Boundary Road

Avalon Gate

Christian Funnel

Avalon Development, West Street

Black Lion Street Railings

Ricky Delaney, Stanmer Park Forge and Ironworks

Black Lion Street 

Patching Lodge-Gates and Railings

Chris Campbell at Campbell Designs

Patching Lodge, Eastern Road

Taj Gates

Christian Funnel

Montpelier Road

Zipgates

Stig Evans

Palmeira Mansions, Palmeira Avenue

Light

Title

Artist

Location

The Cones

Raphael Daden

Central reservation, West Street

Drift

Esther Rolinson

New Road

Hove Station Footbridge

DO-Architecture 

Hove Station Footbridge, next to Hove Station

The Kidney Unit

Christian Funnel and Eric Bates

Royal Sussex County Hospital

Viaduct Lighting

DO-Architecture 

Preston Road and Beaconsfield Road Arches

The Wave

Adrian Stewart, DO-Architecture 

Entrance Tunnel, Brighton Marina

Participatory