Open Studios Art Tour

The San Luis Obispo County Open Studios Art Tour, a program of SLO County Arts Council, takes place each year over two weekends in October, National Arts and Humanities Month. Free to the public, fine artists and crafters open their studios to showcase their art and share their processes. Visitors create their own self-guided tours using the catalog.

October 12-13 and October 19-20, 2024

Visual artists of all mediums across San Luis Obispo County can now apply to be a part of the 26th Annual Open Studios Art Tour. Follow the links below for the guidelines and to apply.

The application will close June 21st at 5pm.

As an organization, the SLO County Arts Council expresses our sincere apologies for inadvertently scheduling the first weekend of OSAT on Yom Kippur. We understand the significance of this sacred day and recognize the oversight in our planning process. Please know that it was never our intention to disregard or overlook this important religious observance.

Moving forward, we are committed to being more mindful and considerate of the diverse religious and cultural practices within our community. We will take proactive steps to ensure that such oversights are avoided, caught early, and communicated better in the future. As this event is regularly on the second and third weekends of October, we will do our best to be more aware of possible overlaps.

We value the input and feedback of all members of our community, and we are open to further dialogue on how we can improve our practices to better accommodate everyone’s needs. 

If you are an artist who will be observing Yom Kippur and would like volunteer support to participate in the first weekend of the tour, please contact us.

 FAQs

  • Nope! When filling out the application you will be asked when you’d like to participate in the tour. You can select both weekends, or just one! You are required to be open from 10am to 5pm each of the days you state on your application and may not choose to close the second weekend if you have previously said you would be open both weekends.

  • Each artist receives equal publicity in the catalog and marketing materials regardless of the dates of their participation and shared studio space. Therefore, each artist must submit their own application and participation fee.

  • Many artists share their space and visitors like to go to locations where there are multiple artists. SLO County Arts wants to help as many artists as possible participate. If you are an artist who is interested in sharing studio space with another artist, please email us. Retail locations are not eligible for Open Studios Art Tour.

  • An Open Studios studio is defined as the artist’s regular workspace. This can be a room in a house, a space in a warehouse, a garage, or something different altogether. Retail spaces are not eligible. Artists for whom 3 or more of the following characteristics are true are not eligible for Open Studios: Commercial or retail location, retail signage, employees, and/or paid apprentices, the majority of retail business is by “drop-in” rather than by appointment.

  • To help visitors plan their route, the catalog contains color indicators that show if an artist’s studio is open on the first, second, or both weekends. All artists on the tour are required to be open from 10am to 5pm.

  • Participating artists are not required to demonstrate; however, it is a benefit to you to show the value of your work to tour-goers. Actual demonstrations, storyboards, and showing a work-in-progress you can discuss are all ways to show your process.

  • Yes, copies of your original art may be included in your display along with your original work. These items may include prints, tiles, greeting cards, etc. You may not display art from another artist or any other items that weren’t made by you.

  • We create digital maps via Google Maps that are linked on the Open Studios Art Tour website. You can also navigate using the printed maps in the catalog. The catalog also lists the complete street address for each artist studio, so you can plug it into the navigation app of your choice!

  • We recommend leaving your pets at home. Studios are filled with breakables and valuable art and many artists may not allow your pet inside.

  • Open Studios Art Tour allows artists the chance to display a majority of their work in one place. Visiting studios during the tour gives you the chance to interact with artists on an intimate level and go deeper into their process. As Arroyo Grande artist Tania Alexander puts it, “the Open Studios Art Tour is the one time people from across the county come into my art space and view my creative process for themselves, allowing me to closely connect with those that make my art their own.”

2023 Open Studios Art Tour Catalog

Click on the image to the left to view the 2023 Open Studios Art Tour catalog and get an idea of what to expect.

Celebrating

25 Years

Celebrating 25 Years •

2023 marked the 25th anniversary of the Open Studios Art Tour in San Luis Obispo County. To celebrate, we asked participating artists to share with us what the tour has meant to them. Read their testimonials below.

The SLO County Arts Council advances the visual, literary, and performing arts countywide.