MONTEREY COUNTY — Arts Council for Monterey County (Arts4MC) will be continuing the Artist Studio Tour’s legacy, previously run by Arts Habitat.
To ensure the tour’s continuous growth and longevity, Arts4MC will be collaborating with Arts Habitat for the 32nd annual tour’s transition into their care.
Arts Habitat took over the tour in 2015 from Artists Equity and has developed the tour into what it is known as today.
“We are proud of the successes we’ve accomplished,” said Shirmaine Jones, executive director of Arts Habitat. “Since taking on the tour, we’ve expanded to two weekends, opened involvement to organizations, grown artist participation from 50 to 90, and been able to offer financial and logistical support for Monterey County artists.”
Under the oversight of Arts4MC, the Artists Studio Tour will now be rebranded with a new look and name, Open Studios Art Tour. The tour will take place over two weekends this fall, Oct. 12-13 and 19-20, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.
The change in name was made to align with similar events in the surrounding areas.
“We want to highlight the welcoming nature of the tour,” said Jacquie Atchison, executive director of Arts4MC. “The entire community is invited to witness the creation of our local art at its origin. Each studio space offers a unique window into the perspective of every artist, making Open Studios an opportunity for exploration and discovery.”
Speaking on the transition, Jones added, “We believe that the resources, expertise and visibility of the Arts Council will further increase participation in the tour, expand the value that artists receive from their participation, and enhance the experience for the public who attend Open Studios.”
Arts4MC is looking forward to working with all the artists who have been a part of this event in previous years and welcoming all the new artists who will be joining for the first time. An early bird discounted registration will be available through March 31, and the regular registration fee will apply from April 1 to July 31.
In addition, scholarships will be offered based on financial need to ensure that all artists who are interested in participating can join.
To learn more about participating or attending the Open Studios Art Tour, visit arts4mc.org/open-studios.
