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Greenville Open Studios celebrates the local visual arts community with free studio tours for the public. What began as an idea among a small group of artists to raise awareness of their practice in the greater community has evolved into a full-fledged annual event. This exciting tradition is now celebrating its 22nd year!

The goals of Greenville Open Studios are to provide free and convenient community access to visual arts, to educate and create a dialogue between artists and the general public by opening artists’ places of work and inviting the community-at-large to participate in the creative process and to create new marketing opportunities for artists. It is the organizers’ desire that the project will open up the world of visual artists to everyone – from the seasoned collector to the first-time art buyer to the curious general public.

Last year, the 2023 self-guided tour featured 143 artists and their studios-98 studio locations varied throughout a 15-mile radius of downtown Greenville with Easley, Greer, Travelers Rest and Simpsonville included. The new Open Studios catalog will be released in October 2024. The Open Studios catalogue serves as a vital resource for art supporters, and will be available after the event throughout the year. Stop by at any time of the year and pick up a Open Studios brochure to learn more about MAC and Open Studios!

YouTube 2023 Artists 2024 Application 2024 Artist Fee

2023 Greenville Open Studios

Created by Summit Film Co.

Objectives of Greenville Open Studios

  • To provide an educational experience to the entire community by inviting the general public to experience the life of local artists at work in the studio environment by giving people the chance to learn about the artistic process as well as sources of artistic inspiration.
  • To give the artists an opportunity to market their work to the local community.
  • To enhance the experience of collecting art by helping people to begin art collections or enhance existing ones.
  • To create greater awareness of the diversity and quality of local visual arts among the general public.

Resources

The Printed Catalogue

The 2023 Open Studios catalogue features contact information, directions, maps and more! Catalogues will be available in all of the artists’ studios, in various retail locations around town and in the November 4th edition of the Greenville Journal.

Greenville Open Studios Exhibit

The annual 12 x 12 exhibit is a sampling of the works by the Greenville Open Studios participating artists. The 2022 exhibit will be on display from November 5 - December 9. The exhibit is a great way to see the variety of artists in our area and a perfect starting point in planning your tour!

The App

The app is an interactive virtual version of the catalog information. It is accessible on all smart phone devices. Search artists by medium, wheelchair accessibility, or preview night opening. Select and map your favorites to customize your tour using Google Maps. Watch artist videos with their links to our YouTube Channel!

2023 Sponsors

The Board of Directors and staff of the Metropolitan Arts Council and the 143 participating artists would like to thank those businesses and individuals for making Greenville Open Studios 2023 possible for Greenville’s visual artists. We appreciate their commitment to the arts in Greenville and look forward to working with them in the future. A big round of applause to the following for ensuring the success of Greenville Open Studios!

FAQ

  • When is Open Studios?

    Open Studios takes place the 2nd weekend in November each year. The dates and hours for 2023 are listed below.

    Friday Night Preview: Friday, November 10 | 6:00 - 9:00 pm (select artists only)

    Saturday, November 11 | 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

    Sunday, November 12 | Noon - 6:00 p.m.

  • What is the Friday Night Preview?

    Artists may select to participate in an optional Friday evening preview before the event. Those artists are indicated with an orange "P" in the app or "OPEN FRIDAY" in the catalogue and will be open Friday, November 10 from 6:00 - 9:00 pm, as well as the full open studios hours over the weekend. 

  • How does Open Studios work?

    Choose artists you would like to visit by using the website, catalogue or app. Plan out your weekend beforehand or travel studio to studio based on who is nearby on the map. 

    Greenville Open Studios is a FREE and self-guided tour. Artists will welcome you into their studio spaces which may be in their home. Look forward to discovering new parts of Greenville, discovering the behind the scenes magic of how art is created and having wonderful conversation with creative and talented people!

  • What are the 12 x 12 Exhibit Hours?

    November 6 - December 8, 2023

    The Greenville Open Studios 2023 exhibit is open Monday - Friday from 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. and during the hours of Open Studios including the Friday Preview evening.

  • What should I know about health & safety?

    Every artist studio is unique. Some studios are large, open spaces with multiple artists, and many are intimate places inside a home. Therefore we do not make a blanket policy for health and safety. We ask that you please respect and adhere to the requirements for visiting each studio space. Thank you!