The contradiction of art is that the most bright, colourful and joyous work may have the darkest meaning.

In a vibrant, colourful and anarchic exhibition at Viktor Wynd Fine Art, Stephen Wright has produced a mass of work which explores his sense of loss and bereavement after the death of three close family members.

Make Do & Mend, Dig for Victory and Keep Calm and Carry On. Three well-known messages from the past which have a particular resonance today have inspired the organisers of this year's Pier Day, a one-day festival held on Worthing's art deco pier.

After being involved in running the event since its conception, this year Revolutionary Arts will be taking over the artistic direction of Pier Day, after securing the support of Worthing Borough Council. The annual event takes place on Sunday 12th September, from 12 noon-4pm.

Pier Day celebrates the architecture of Worthing's award-winning art deco pier. So this year, the event will have a historical flavour, celebrating seaside style from the 1930s-1950s. With a topical nod to an era that mixed austerity and celebration, organisers are bringing together artists, community groups and local businesses to celebrate grow-your-own, local food, austerity and the spirit of make do and mend with a great big street party on the pier. Revolutionary Arts will also be commissioning a range of original artworks inspired by the pier.

Agora, Shoreham-by-Sea: Wabi Sabi – ordinary beauty

An exhibition capturing the essence of Japanese philosophy of Wabi Sabi – finding beauty in imperfection, enjoying the moment, and celebrating the transience of life – is a perfect fit for the Empty Shops Network's Agora HQ in Shoreham-by-Sea.

There are moments as a reviewer when you need to step back from what you're looking at and consider the context. And a hot, sunny afternoon in well-heeled Chichester, watching a new adaptation of Robert Tressell's The Ragged Trousered Philanthropist provides one of those moments.

The book is a masterpiece, an at least partly autobiographical story about the class struggle, the quest for craftsmanship under capitalism and the rise of socialist thinking. It's an odd thing to be watching with a very upper middle class matinee audience.

Adapting for the stage what is essentially a radical political manifesto will never be easy, but on the whole Howard Brenton has done a good job. And of course, the clash of culture between today's audience and the play itself show exactly why it is still relevant. Over a hundred years after the working-class housepainter finished writing the novel, the famous 'Money Trick' he explains is still relevant.

The Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries says on this website: "The arts and cultural sector will feel its share of the painful spending decisions that are being taken." Some sectors, however, are being protected from cuts. This article makes a case for prioritising arts funding.

On the eve of the UK's budget cuts announcements, 23 May 2010, in the Brighton Dome, Brian Eno appealed to government to fund the arts. Without the arts, ran the subtext of Eno's message, our society can’t develop properly.

Eno started out by explaining that he was addressing the proposed cuts in arts funding by the British government. He noted there are no proposals to cut funding to the Trident nuclear missile programme, and said he was not proud of the fact that Britain is the number two arms producer in the world. He said the arts community is failing to sell itself to government as successfully as the arms industry. The arts community is failing to convince government of the importance of the arts.

Over the past few months Wasted Spaces has been on a mission to put a smile (literally) on the face of Wembley. This ongoing project involving interventions and temporary installations is set to expand through London in the summer months.

Visitors will have the chance to explore Pallant House Gallery's summer exhibition, ‘Surreal Friends’ without paying a penny when the Chichester gallery opens for free for the day to mark the annual London 2012 Open Day.

Described by the art critic Richard Cork as ‘really fascinating and impressive’, ‘Surreal Friends’ features works by the English painter Leonora Carrington, the Spanish painter Remedios Varo and the Hungarian photographer Kati Horna, and tells the story of their personal and artistic friendship since meeting in Mexico City in 1943.

Visitors will also be invited to take part in a special Open Weekend event to mark the annual UK-wide countdown to the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Led by the Portsmouth-based artist Jon Adams, visitors will be encouraged to make flags from recycled book pages and ‘plant’ them in the Gallery studio.

 

 

A Dark Day In Paradise is an installation by Clare Twomey at the Royal Pavilion in Brighton until January 2011. Thousands of black ceramic butterflies swarm in the Banqueting Room, the Great Kitchen and the Entrance Hall, and flutter darkly throughout the ground floor of the royal palace.