Gorge Artists Open Studios Information for Artists

Gorge Artists Open Studios is an annual self-directed art studios tour that distinguishes itself from other tours by giving the public an insider view of Artists at Work in their own studios surrounded by their tools, materials and artwork in every phase of completion.

The studio tour is May 14 & 15, 2011. However, coordinating and organizing the event is a year-long process which relies on the participating artists’ volunteer work.

Gorge Artists Open Studios provides an opportunity to SHOW and SELL your work, BUILD an audience and COMMUNICATE with the public.
Your artwork will be published in full color in the Tour Guide and on the website with a link to your site.
You get 5 Tour Guides for free. ($125 value)
You get 300 post card invitations to mail out. ($80 value)
Two workshops will give you techniques for making
Gorge Artists Open Studios an enjoyable and profitable experience. It is a time to network with the other participating artists.
More than just one weekend a year. The Tour Guide is a resource with your name and contact info that is used by the media, curators, and art buyers all year long. Artists get invited to exhibitions, get written about, teach classes and sell their work because of Gorge Artists Open Studios.

Studios or work spaces must be located in or near communities in the Mid-Columbia region of the Columbia Gorge: Cascade Locks; Stevenson,; Goldendale: Lyle; Hood River; White Salmon; Bingen; The Dalles; Dallesport; Mosier; or Trout Lake.

Applicants will be juried by a panel of outside area arts professionals who base their decisions on a professional quality and artistic vision of the 3 images submitted. A limited number of artistswill be accepted.

The fee is $125 dollars, (a $10 dollar non-refundable processing fee plus a $115 participation fee) plus 8 hours of volunteer time. The participation fee includes publication in the Tour Guide and on the website, as well as workshops, signage and 5 Tour Guides.

Visitors buy a Tour Guide which has pictures of all the artists’ work, maps, and directions to each of the studios.

Gorge Artists Open Studios has an active publicity and marketing program to inform the public about the event. Advertising spans Portland, Vancouver, the Tri-Cites, Seattle, Bend, and Salem. Regional magazines as well as local press cover the Open Studios event. KC Cowan announced the event on Oregon Art Beat and airs segments of participting artists as well. We set up interviews on the radio and send multiple press releases to all the relevant media.