What is Open Studio Weekend?
Open Studio Weekend is your chance to experience the arts culture of Vermont first hand. Every year since 1993, the artists and artisans of Vermont have opened their studios to the public to share their work, their points of view, and their skills. The self-guided Open Studio tour features work from glassblowers, jewelry makers, printmakers, potters, furniture makers, weavers, ironworkers, painters, sculptors, quilt makers and wood workers.  Galleries may host gallery talks and feature special exhibits in conjunction with this event. In addition, many of these studios are not open to the public at any other time of the year.

How do visitors know where to find the studios?
Open Studio Weekend is a state-wide celebration of the visual arts. Participant studios display bright yellow signs along the road to guide visitors to their location.  The Vermont Crafts Council publishes a free map which is available throughout the state at Tourist Information Centers, galleries, and studios.  This information is also available online at the Vermont Craft Council’s website. There are over 200 participating artists throughout the state, so you will not have a problem finding studios in any selected area for your visit. Plan your visits to meet artists whose work you admire, to explore art of a select type, or visit an area of the state you’ve always wanted to explore.

Who sponsors this event?
The Open Studio Weekend is sponsored by the Vermont Crafts Council and the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing.

If coming from out of state, where should visitors stay?
If visiting from out of state or out of the area, select lodging that provides a central base of operations for a given location.  In the Burlington area, you might choose the Comfort Inn & Suites for a convenient downtown location or The Essex, Vermont’s Culinary Resort, for a nearby, but out-of-town setting. Artists in eastern Vermont are accessible from Lake Morey Resort, if you are looking for a location with full resort amenities. For access to southeastern Vermont, a stay at The Grafton Inn, in historic Grafton, offers a quintessentially Vermont experience. Or opt for lodging in Manchester for easy access to all of southwestern Vermont.  Consider the Taconic for truly luxurious accommodations, or the historic Wilburton Inn which has its own sculpture garden on property. The Stowe-Smugglers’ Notch region offers a multitude of 4-season lodging from resorts to country inns. Your options span choices from a private log cabin at Sterling Ridge Resort in Jeffersonville to the charming Green Mountain Inn in the village of Stowe. Don’t forget to ask the artists you meet what else you should do in their area — whether it’s a place to eat, another artist to visit, or a local attraction you just shouldn’t miss.