The 41st year of the Santa Cruz County Open Studios Art Tour is a month away! From Watsonville to Davenport, artists will open their studios to the public over the first three weekends in October. While the September sunsets paint gorgeous colors across the sky - our local artists similarly are going all out - painting, sculpting, carving, turning, firing, fabricating, sewing, printing…the creative energy is flowing across the county!
“The annual hustle of preparing for Open Studios is an exciting, motivating and vulnerable time…artists really put their full potential and identities out there, creating their best work for public display.”
Travis Adams, ceramicist & Director Santa Cruz Clay
The 2026 Open Studios Art Tour boasts 69 brand new artists this year, from young emerging artists to seasoned professionals opening their studio for the first time. With 350+ artists working in 22 mediums, there is no shortage of variety out there - whatever your favorite medium or style, it’s here to discover and buy during Open Studios.
350 is a lot of artists so you may be wondering how to find what you like. In addition to the beautiful printed guide (like a magazine of artists!) located for free on newsstands all around the county and the iconic green signs, this year the tour debuts a brand new mobile app. This well organized and easy-to-use app has great filters that find and sort artists by name, medium, location, and more. It’s very user friendly and a great way to discover studios that you’ll enjoy. Save them in your favorites folder for easy organizing, click on the artist’s info and get directions to their studio. Download the app from the Apple Store or Google Play by searching Santa Cruz County Open Studios.
The Open Studios Preview Exhibit also has a new home this year at M.K. Contemporary Art in downtown Santa Cruz, opening on Sept 26. Every artist participating in the tour will have a piece of their artwork on display (and for sale!) Stop by the gallery to see work in person, discover new artists, and start planning your adventure.
Artist: Darci Shea Bogdan | Photo: Michael Baba
Open Studios kicks off in South County on October 3 & 4 in Watsonville, Freedom, La Selva Beach, Aptos, Capitola, and Soquel. There are 144 artists in this part of the county.
Preview the work of artists in South County at Pajaro Valley Arts at their gallery at the Porter Building in downtown Watsonville. The exhibit runs from Sept 26-Oct 18. Tip: visit the gallery ahead of time and take notes about whose work you’d like to see more of.
The second weekend of the tour on October 10 & 11 features 211 North County artists in Midtown, Downtown, on the Westside, North Coast, Davenport and throughout the Santa Cruz Mountains and Scotts Valley.
There is also a special Preview Exhibit at the Santa Cruz Art League featuring the remote artists in North County - on the coast, Davenport, Bonny Doon, San Lorenzo Valley, and Scotts Valley. Pop by to preview their work before taking the gorgeous drive up into the mountains. Exploring the county is all part of the fun and the remote studios sit on some pretty awesome properties that are works of art themselves! 100% worth the trip.
The final weekend on Oct 17 & 18 features both North and South County. This third weekend is a sweet bonus and one last chance to get out there to see work and support the artists. Not everyone is open but about 250 artists will open their doors for one last weekend. Check the artist listings on both the app and the guide to find out who is participating in All County.
Artist: Mattie Leeds | Photo: Crystal Birns
The adventure of Open Studios awaits! The incredible creative people you will meet and places you will see along the way to Open Studios is an experience unlike any other in the county! The beautiful artwork that you can take home will bring you joy and inspiration throughout the year and the financial support of local artists keeps Santa Cruz the creative place we love. See you out on the tour!
2026 Santa Cruz County Open Studios Art Tour
October 3-4 | South County
October 10-11 | North County
October 17-18 | All County
11am–5pm
Preview Exhibitions
- M.K. Contemporary Art | September 25-October 25 (all participating artists)
- Pajaro Valley Arts | September 26-October 18 (South County artists only)
- Santa Cruz Art League | October 2-October 18 (North Coast & Santa Cruz Mountains artists only)
Website: santacruzopenstudios.com
Mobile App: Download the free Santa Cruz County Open Studios app, available through the App Store and Google Play.
Printed Artist Guide: Pick up a guide at Good Times locations, preview exhibit galleries, and public libraries, while supplies last. View the digital version.
Green signs: Follow the signs to discover artists across Santa Cruz County.
Instagram: @artscouncilsc
Facebook: Arts Council Santa Cruz County
Special thanks to our 2026 sponsors: GoodTimes and West Coast Community Bank
