South County includes studios south of the Yacht Harbor: Live Oak, Capitola, Soquel, Aptos, Freedom, La Selva Beach, Corralitos, and Watsonville
North County includes studios north of the Yacht Harbor: Ben Lomond, Bonny Doon, Boulder Creek, Brookdale, Davenport, Felton, Santa Cruz (city) and Scotts Valley
Find participating All County artists in the guide and map, or just look for the green signs all over the county.

A studio is a place where someone makes art – it could be a room in their house, a space in a warehouse, a garage, or something different altogether. Everyone has a different method to art-making – clean or messy, funky or classic, huge or tiny. Open Studios gives you an opportunity to see this amazing variety of approaches and styles. This year we even have some artists participating who don’t work in studios. You might find multiple artists at one studio, or multiple artists in a gallery.

Experience art where it was created, meet an artist, and learn about their artistic process. Open Studios is also a great way to meet neighbors you might not have known were artists, or visit a new part of the county. Visit one studio or make a day of it.

Anyone. Seriously, you don’t even need an Artist Guide (although it helps). You can follow the green directional artist signs all over Santa Cruz County during the first three weekends in October, and indulge your sense of adventure. It’s a great thing to do alone, with family, or with friends.

Yes! The Guide is free, the App is free, there’s no cost for visiting a studio. You might want to bring your wallet just in case you find a perfect piece to bring home or a gift for a loved one.

Look for the free guide at these locations.

Free Artist Guide pickup locations

Download via App Store or Google Play. Search keyword “Santa Cruz County Open Studios”.

They’re your friends, neighbors, or sometimes people you wouldn’t otherwise meet. Some artists are shy and some are gregarious. Some artists are hobbyists, others have non-art day jobs, and some are full-time artists.

Artists have been selected by a jury of seven arts professionals, all from outside of Santa Cruz County.

Applications for the 2024 tour will be available March 1, 2024. The tour is limited to adults [18 or older] who are residents of Santa Cruz County. Return to this page to apply.

They want to feel appreciated and share their process with art-loving (or art-curious) folks like you. Feel free to ask them questions or quietly soak it all in.

Of course, they’d love for you to buy their work, but there’s no obligation to buy a thing. That said, artists have pieces for sale in all price ranges. And, if you see something you can’t live without but don’t have the cash on hand, a lot of artists offer payment plans. Just ask.

Find a great place to stay through Visit Santa Cruz County.