Running since 2005, this event continues to attract thousands of visitors every year. Within the small but surprisingly dense artistic geography of North London’s N8 postcode, 59 artists are preparing to open their homes, studios, and local community spaces to the public.
This Year’s Program
The Art Trail will take place on Saturday and Sunday, May 9th and 10th, from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Across 40 different venues, 59 artists will be waiting to meet visitors. While the trail itself is free and lasts only two days, a longer-term exhibition is also being held: the Group Show will be open from May 8th to 17th at The Original Gallery in Hornsey Library. Featuring one work from each participating artist, this exhibition offers the perfect way to preview the art and decide which studios you want to visit before hitting the weekend trail.
In addition, special CEOS showcases are featured at three locations in Crouch End: Dunn’s Bakery (6 The Broadway), Palette and Frame gallery (79 Tottenham Lane), and PhilipAlexander estate agents (128 Crouch Hill). Various weekday activities are also planned for The Original Gallery, including live portrait drawing, children’s art workshops, and “meet the artist” sessions, with further details to be announced soon.
Barbara Mansi and the Birth of a Prize
This year’s program carries a poignant emotional weight. Barbara Mansi, a beloved mosaic artist within the collective, passed away in December at the age of 62. Originally from Saronno, near Milan, Mansi moved to London, met her husband while working at Marine Ices in Chalk Farm, and eventually settled in Crouch End. Since joining CEOS in 2021, she quickly became a vital part of the group’s spirit.
In her memory, CEOS has established the “Barbara Mansi Award,” to be presented annually to a recent graduate artist. The inaugural recipient of the award is Audra Goffeney, a ceramics graduate from Central Saint Martins. Goffeney, who will participate in both the 2026 Art Trail and the group show, stated: “Everything I’ve heard about Barbara Mansi suggests she was a wonderful person who believed in sharing her work and knowledge. Receiving this award at this early stage of my career is a truly precious gift.” To further honor her legacy, one of Mansi’s own works will be displayed at the group exhibition.
Why It Matters
The participants—producing in fields such as ceramics, drawing, glass, mixed media, painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture—consist of both established names and emerging talents. This diversity sets CEOS apart from a typical commercial gallery experience: here, when you stand before a painting, you have the opportunity to speak directly with the artist in the very room where the work was created. While large art fairs offer the chance to observe, CEOS invites you inside.
Crouch End has become one of North London’s most prominent neighborhoods in recent years. A significant part of this transformation has been shaped by the lasting impression left by this event, held every spring for the past 20 years.
