Welcome to the Torbay Guild of Artists

A thriving Guild in the vibrant and creative hub of Torbay and surrounds

‘The aim of the Guild is to foster the artistic interest of its members and to promote the highest standards of practice in the visual arts’


ABOUT THE TORBAY GUILD OF ARTISTS

The Torbay Guild of Artists (‘the Guild’) was formed by a group of artists in 1967 who were keen to support the art community in Torbay and surrounds, and to provide a forum for artists to exhibit their work. From a small group of artists, the Guild has steadily grown, with membership now standing at over 100 artists and makers. Members of the Guild include painters, potters, sculptors, mosaics and textiles artists, a mix of both professional and amateur artists.

All members are selected for the quality of their work in order to maintain the exhibition standard of the Guild. Our members include elected members of the prestigious South West Academy of Applied Arts (SWAc), and members who have exhibited at the London Art Biennale, the Discerning Eye Exhibition at the Mall Galleries, and the Royal Academy of Arts in London.

Harbor with boats, a Ferris wheel, and hillside buildings overlooking the bay on a clear day.

OUR EVENTS

The Guild has at least two Exhibitions each year, one in Spring and the other in Autumn, and is now the host of the English Riviera Open Studios event.

The Exhibitions are a real highlight of the year for the creative scene in the region. Our most recent exhibition held at the Spanish Barn in the beautiful grounds of Torre Abbey attracted over 2,500 visitors over the 16 days of opening, with much praise and accolade from those who came to the Exhibition!

Art gallery with paintings, sculptures, and decorative items displayed on white panels and tables inside a rustic brick building with string lights hanging from the wooden ceiling.

The Guild’s next Exhibition is the 2026 Autumn ‘Art in the Barn’ Exhibition, in the Spanish Barn at Torre Abbey. It will be open to the public 10th October - 18th October, 10-4pm each day. Put the dates in your diary!

In June this year, the Guild is hosting the the inaugural English Riviera Open Studios event. This event provides visitors the chance to see our talented artists at work either in their own studios or in a dedicated shared space with other artists. Running from the 6-14 June, its going to be an event not to be missed!

Text on a blue background reading 'ENGLISH RIVERA STUDIOS' with a palm tree logo.
Art gallery inside a wooden shed displaying various colorful paintings of people and landscapes, with a person looking at the artwork.

Meet the Committee

The Torbay Guild of Artists is run by a small group of hard-working volunteers. Current Committee members are: Becky Nuttall (Chair), Julian Hargrave-Wright (Treasurer), Peter Blakesley (Membership Secretary), Diannah Lowry (Exhibition Secretary ), Sue Miller (Stewarding Secretary), Geoff Paris (Exhibition Administration), together with Rhian Wynn-Harrison and Lee Pover (both on the English Rivera Open Studios sub-Committee), and Peter Spencer. The Guild’s long serving member, Susan Cavaliere, is the Honorary President of the Guild.

A group of nine people posing together inside an art gallery, with framed paintings on display behind them and string lights hanging from the ceiling.

From front left to right: Peter Blakesley (Membership Secretary & and Curator), Lee Pover, Becky Nuttall (Chair), Diannah Lowry (Exhibition Secretary and Comms), Geoff Paris (Exhibition Administrator), Rhian Wynn- Harrison, Sue Miller (Stewarding Secretary), Peter Spencer, and just visible in the background is our wonderful volunteer Ron George who assists in the the hanging of work at every Exhibition…….

A man with glasses and white hair smiling at the camera while holding a silver plate, standing next to a rusted telephone booth, with a blue ocean scene on a painting behind him.

……and our wonderful Treasurer Julian Hargrave-Wright without whom the Guild wouldn’t flourish. (Seen here with his award winning 3D work ‘Gordon’).