Call Description

Deadline to apply: 11:59pm March 31, 2026

This call is for BOTH the upcoming Membership Year (July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027) AND participation in Open Studios Tour, Oct. 3rd & 4th, and 10th & 11th of 2026. Membership is a 12-month program of benefits for artists. The Tour is a 2-weekend event.

Artists living in or with studios in Boulder County are eligible. Applications are scored by jurors to select an unlimited number of MEMBERS, based on a scoring rubric. Approx. 175 artists with highest scores receive invitations for optional participation in the OPEN STUDIOS TOUR. Tour artists MUST participate the first weekend, Oct 3rd & 4th. Second weekend (Oct. 10th & 11th) participation is optional. Tour artists host the public in working studios throughout Boulder County.

Membership and the Studio Tour participation each offer many benefits to build your art business and your brand. (See Long Description.)

We will discuss the Membership program first, followed by details about the Studio Tour. Please also see JURY SCORING CRITERIA AT THE END OF THIS DESCRIPTION.

A $38 NON-REFUNDABLE application fee is required with the online application. This call closes at 11:59 pm on Tuesday March 31, 2026.  Artists will be notified of acceptance for Membership on or before April 13, 2026. At that time, top-scoring artists will also receive Studio Tour participation invitations.

If accepted for Membership, a Membership agreement must be submitted along with an $85 participation fee ($75 for returning Members from either the 2024 – ‘25 or 2025 – ’26 Membership years) by June1, 2026. Fees are non-refundable.

Artists who accept invitations to participate in the Open Studios Tour must complete a COMBINED Membership and Tour Participation agreement and submit fees as described in Studio Tour information below.

OPEN STUDIOS MEMBERSHIP

The upcoming membership year runs July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027. 12-month membership fees are $85 for new members, and $75 for returning members. Because Open Studios is a nonprofit organization, members are required to contribute 8 hours of volunteer service by May 31, 2027. Ample opportunities will be provided for volunteer service throughout the year. Alternatively, artists may pay an additional fee to replace volunteer hours. This fee will be calculated at $17 per hour for time not volunteered. Artists who do not complete the volunteer requirement or pay the additional fee to compensate for unworked volunteer hours will not be eligible to apply for 2027 - 2028 Membership and/or the Open Studios Tour in 2027.

Request an updated list of membership benefits by contacting info@openstudios.org.

OPEN STUDIOS TOUR

Artists who participate in the Studio Tour automatically become Members of Open Studios and may take full advantage of Member Benefits. If a Tour participation invitation is extended to you, accepting it will not be mandatory. You may still participate in the Membership program.

Since 1995, the Open Studios Tour has attracted patrons from around Colorado and beyond. Patrons visit artists’ studios to learn about their work and artistic process, purchase art, and sign up for classes. In 2025, patrons made over 20,000 studio visits to artists on the Tour. 

The 2026 Open Studios Tour will be held the first two weekends of October, October 3rd & 4th and 10th & 11th. Tour artists MUST participate during the first and have the OPTION of participating the second weekend. You MUST PARTICIPATE BOTH SATURDAY and SUNDAY of each weekend you choose to participate. 

The 2026 Tour Preview Exhibit will be held at Boulder’s Canyon Gallery in the downtown Boulder public library. The exhibit showcases one piece of each Tour artist’s best work and will open prior to the first Tour weekend.

Tour Artists must participate in the Tour at an art studio location in Boulder County. Tour artists may join another Tour artist in their studio during the Tour. All artists must show their art-making equipment and provide education about their artmaking in addition to displaying and offering artwork for sale. 

Examples of educational components: process videos shown continually in your studio, a self-guided tutorial, and scheduled demonstrations. A short description of your planned educational component must be included in your Tour participation agreement.

The 2026 Tour participation fee is $282 ($272 for artists returning from participation in the 2024 and/or 2025 Tour), this include the Membership Fee portion. Tour fees are used exclusively for the Studio Tour program. These fees pay for approximately 50% of the cost of advertising, promotion and administration of the Tour. To help defray costs of the Tour, artists are required to contribute an amount equal to 10% of their gross art sales that result from the Tour to Open Studios by the end of 2026. Artists who do not pay this commission will not be eligible to apply for future Membership and Tour participation.

Tour Artists are also required to contribute 12 hours of volunteer service by May 31, 2027. Ample opportunities will be provided for volunteer service throughout the year. Alternatively, artists may pay an additional fee to replace volunteer hours. This fee will be calculated at $17 per hour for time not volunteered and is due by May 31, 2027. Artists who do not complete the volunteer requirement or pay the additional fee to compensate for unworked volunteer hours will not be eligible to apply for 2027-2028 Membership and the Open Studios Tour in 2027. Artists who do not pay the 10% Tour commission by December 31, 2026, will not be eligible to apply for 2027-2028 Membership and the 2027 Open Studios Tour.

IMPORTANT DATES:

• Application Deadline: March 31, 2026.
• Jury Review: April 1 - 10, 2026.
• Applicants notified of Acceptance: on or before April 13, 2026.
• Contracts and Fees for Membership and the Studio Tour are due June 1, 2026. Member benefits will begin for artists on July 1, 2026. Artists may request a payment plan for their fees.
• The art delivery date for the Preview Exhibit is TBD.
• Preview Exhibit Opening Reception date is TBD.
• Tour Dates: October 3rd & 4th and 10th, 11th, 2026.
• Preview Exhibit Art Pick Up October 12th at the Canyon Gallery

Special Training for Tour Artists:

In addition to social media, sales, marketing and business training workshops provided to Open Studios Members, Tour preparation workshops will be provided for Studio Tour artists. These will assist Tour artists in developing their own promotion strategies for the Tour and teach basic in-person sales techniques.

Promotional Package for 2026 Studio Tour Artists

• Printed and on-line Tour Guidebook with Images of Artists’ work and Studio Location Maps.
• 5,000 or more copies of a promotional piece with QR code linking to the online Tour Guidebook with Artists' images and information will be printed and distributed throughout the Colorado Front Range,
• Promotional Rack Cards distributed throughout the Denver Metro area and at all Colorado state line Interstate Highway welcome centers,
• Public Radio Underwriting messages on Front Range stations,
• Daily social media posts,
• Promotional postcards available for Tour artists’ use,
• Mobile device friendly Tour Map,
• Online and print advertising and editorial coverage,
• Information booths throughout the summer at festivals and farmers markets throughout Boulder County,
• And much more , , ,

If you are interested in helping with a specific Open Studios program (e.g. arts education, family art activities, art residencies for underserved populations, etc.), have specific skills to contribute (graphic art, IT, event management, etc.) or in serving on our board of directors or on an Open Studios Steering Committee for one of our programs, please email us: info@openstudios.org.

REFERRALS: For each NEW artist who applies through CaFE this year and who is referred by an Open Studios Member, we will discount the Members’ fees by $5.

For each NEW artist referred to us by an Open Studios Member, who applies and is accepted for the 2026 Boulder Open Studios Tour, the referring Member will receive a $10 discount on their Membership or Tour participation fee. "NEW" artists include those who have not participated in the Boulder Open Studios Tour in the last 5 years or more. New artists you refer MUST indicate YOUR name as the referral source on their CaFÉ application.  

REQUIREMENTS FOR APPLICATION (BOTH MEMBERSHIP AND STUDIO TOUR), ACCEPTANCE AND PARTICIPATION

(Please read these requirements through carefully!)

• Applications are due by 11:59 pm on March 31, 2026. All applicants must be juried and must apply online through CallForEntry.org (CaFÉ).
• The images of your art submitted in your CaFÉ application, will be used on your Artist Page in our online Members’ Directory. Please put the image you would like to be your single image in our Tour promotion materials, in the first position on your application.
• Submit images showing the entire piece of each of no less than 6 different pieces of art you have completed since January 1, 2024, that are representative of art that you will show in exhibits and during the Membership year, and if applicable, as an Open Studios Tour Artist. You may submit up to 12 images, 4 of which may be detail images of other pieces presented.

JURY PROCESS

Open Studios jurors will review all applications. We will inform you on or before April 13, 2026 regarding whether or not you have been accepted for Membership and, if appropriate, to participate in the Studio Tour. Artists must return completed agreements and pay associated fees by June 1, 2026. Fees are not refundable. Payment plans are available for artists who request them.

The decisions of the Jury and Open Studios are final.

Adjudication Process -  Part 1-The jury will consist of art consultants, museum administrators and/or gallery owners from the art community. Each juror will complete a scoring sheet for each artist. The Open Studios staff, working with jurors, will total the scores, rank all artists by “Total Score”, and determine a “cut-off” such that all artists above that score will be accepted for Membership. Up to 175 of the top-scoring artists will receive Studio Tour invitations. Part 2-The staff will also review all applications below that score and may add up to 4 more artists based on:

• Substantial contribution to the community by the artist,
• Major benefit to Open Studios provided by the artist’s participation,
• Exceptional emerging talent.

 JUROR SCORING CRITERIA - each of the following accounts for 25% of total score:

• Does the work indicate a technical proficiency with the medium (skillfulness in handling the medium and ability in working with it)?
• Does the work reflect an individual style and personal vision (unique works reflecting originality, visual interest, impact, emotional response)?
• How do you rate the overall quality of the work?
• Do the images show a consistency in the body of work (do all images look like they were created by the same artist)?

In addition to the 4 criteria above, you must present artwork that has been completed since January 1, 2024. You are required to provide date of creation for your submitted artworks. Artwork produced before January 1, 2024 will not be considered by our jurors.

Deadline to Apply: 11:59pm, March 31, 2026

Notification: All artists will be notified of acceptance by April 13, 2026. The $38 application fee is non-refundable. If accepted, you will receive your participation agreement to complete and submit to Open Studios online. You will receive your invoice for Membership and Tour fees via email and you may pay online or by check or automatic funds transfer. Agreements and fees are due June 1, 2026. Payment plans are available for artists who request them. Fees are not refundable. 

NOTE: Open Studios has a fund for a limited number of full or partial scholarships to cover participation fees for artists who are in financial need. If you feel this is appropriate for you, contact us: info@openstudios.org or 303-444-1862.

• Accepted Members and Tour artists' studios must be located in Boulder County, Colorado. Call or email Open Studios (303-444-1862,  info@openstudios.org) before applying if you have questions about your eligibility. You may be eligible if your studio is not in Boulder County but is near a county line.
• Accepted Tour artists must derive a portion of their annual income from their art practice.
• Accepted Tour artists must have the required City, County and State Sales Tax Licenses and collect and pay Sales Taxes if they handle art sales themselves. Artists may choose to sell art through the Open Studios’ online galleries. Open Studios will collect and pay sales taxes for artwork sold through Open Studios galleries and exhibits online and in physical locations.
• Accepted Tour Artists agree to read and sign receipt of the 2026 Open Studios Artist Handbook, which will outline participation requirements and deadlines for Tour marketing needs.
• Accepted Members and Tour Artists agree to read and respond to all email communication in a timely manner.
• All artwork on display at the Members’ Exhibit and Tour Preview Exhibit MUST be offered for sale. Open Studios will retain a 40% commission from work sold at these exhibits.
• Each artist must apply to this call for entries separately. There is a $10 participation fee credit to Members for referrals of NEW accepted Tour artists and a $5 credit for all referrals of artists who apply to this call, regardless of acceptance.
• Each participating artist will have their own separate listing on the Open Studios website, with accompanying image(s), along with information unique to their specific studio practice and product, contact information and (for Tour artists) Studio Tour location.
• For Studio Tour Artists in single artist studios – No non-Tour artist may display art in your studio during the Tour.

For Studio Tour Group Studios – per Open Studios’ Board of Directors – “We rely on you to respect and adhere to the Group Studios policy stated here. If artists participate who have not been selected for the Tour through our jury process, this undermines the intent of the evaluation process.” Participating Tour artists must display large, prominent signs (supplied by Open Studios) saying “Open Studios Tour Participating Artist.” We request that non-Tour artists respect the Studio Tour event by 1) not actively promoting their work to attendees visiting a group studio or collective to see Open Studios artists, and 2) not displaying any signage in their space that mentions Open Studios and/or previous participation in Open Studios.

Application Requirements

•    Applications are due by 11:59pm on March, 2026. All applicants must be juried and must apply online through CallForEntry.org (CaFE).

•    The images of your art submitted in your CaFE application, will be used on your Artist Page in our online Members’ Directory. Please put the image you would like to be your single image in our Tour promotion materials, in the first position on your application.

•    Submit images showing the entire piece of a minimum 6 different pieces of art you have completed since January 1, 2024 and that are representative of art that you will show during the Membership year and, if applicable, as an Open Studios Tour Artist. You may submit up to 12 images, 4 of which may be detail images of 4 of the other pieces presented. 

Eligibility Criteria

This call is for BOTH the Open Studios Membership Year (July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027) AND participation in the Open Studios Tour, October 2026. Membership is a 12-month program of benefits for artists. The Tour is a 2-weekend event.

Artists who live in and/or make art in Boulder County, CO are eligible. Applications are scored by jurors who will select an unlimited number of MEMBERS based on jurors’ scoring rubric. Up to 175 artists with highest jury scores will receive invitations for optional participation in the 2026 OPEN STUDIOS TOUR. This year, Tour artists MUST participate Oct 3rd & 4th. Participation the second Tour weekend is optional. Tour artists host the public in working studios throughout Boulder County.

Membership and the Studio Tour each offer many benefits to build your art business and brand.