Wide Open is a celebration of Paignton’s people, places and spirit. Join us to dream up, make and experience great creative and cultural activities where you live.
Wide Open is a celebration of Paignton’s people, places and spirit. Join us to dream up, make and experience great creative and cultural activities where you live.
Picturesque Paignton
Full day workshop inspired by the coastline with artist Claire Jo Harmer. Start the day at the seafront, sketching out of doors then return to the Projection Room to develop sketches into paintings.
All at Sea: Music from the Devon Coastline
Legendary singer and song writer Maggie Duffy casts her net of songs and stories out to sea to bring you songs, folklore, legends and history from the West Country.
Kirkham House tours
Paignton Heritage Society timed tours of Kirkham House, one of Paignton’s oldest buildings. Booking essential, via the English Heritage website.
Paignton Pictures
Join illustrator Cecily Salt on a sketch & scribble workshop capturing Paignton moments. This workshop is suitable for all ages. All materials will be provided, but if you have particular materials you like to use for sketching or illustration, feel free to bring them along.
Mini Crafts Market
Stalls from local makers selling affordable crafts at pocket money prices alongside some special makes. All made by talented, local creatives including the brilliant Yarnia group from Paignton Library.
Song of the Sea: Stringed music & voice from around the globe
Acoustic music inspired by the many rich traditions of Europe and beyond, Louis and Griselda's music reaches from Galicia to Norway, Donegal to Crete, with many stops between.
Paignton Portraits
A special Made in Paignton opportunity to have your picture taken by a professional Paignton photographer. There are 12 x 20 minute half price places to be filled! Suitable for all ages, both individual and group photographs.
Handmade in Paignton
Join visual artist Monica-Shanta to create your own handmade ‘souvenirs’. Using a range of materials, Monica will be on hand to help you explore ideas and materials to make your own creative objects & images that capture treasured memories.
White Shadows
An exhibition of Paignton seaweed reflected on silk hangings using natural cyanotype photography by artist Anna Goodchild. Shown alongside words and poems inspired by the beach from the Wide Open creative writing group.
Paint a Dragon Door
Paignton Community Shed welcome families to help paint a ‘Dragon Door’ - an ancient dragon escaped Dartmoor many moons ago to come and live amongst us in the bay.
From creative events and activities, to unique spaces to test out and share your ideas, find out how you can get involved.
Wide Open is part of a major capital programme centred on Paignton Picture House made possible by the Cultural Development Fund. It will see the successful reopening of the historic grade II* listed landmark in 2025, one of the earliest purpose-built cinemas in Europe.