The Long Way
Boulder County
A woman waves while sitting on front steps next to her dog and a tour sign.
Plate I. Artist with sign, Open Studios. From openstudios.org
People view framed paintings on a white brick wall inside a gallery.
Plate II. Visitors viewing artwork, Open Studios. From colorado.com
A colorful mural painted on the side of a building under a blue sky.
Plate III. Mural artwork, Open Studios. From colorado.com
A sculpture of three figures sitting together outdoors, with people and garden flowers in the background.
Plate IV. Outdoor sculpture exhibit, Open Studios. From colorado.com
A gallery wall displays numerous paintings and artworks.
Plate V. Artwork exhibit, Open Studios Tour. From yellowscene.com
An interior view of a shop showcasing numerous framed paintings on the walls and display cases with jewelry.
Plate VI. Gallery Boulder Junction, Open Studios. From openstudios.org

Open Studios

Boulder, Boulder County, Colorado. Free self-guided tour of artists' working studios; Each October.

Details

Map. Boulder, Boulder County, Colorado. Larger map
Where
3075 Pearl Parkway, Boulder, CO 80301. Directions
When
October 3-4 and October 10-11, 2026, noon to 5 p.m. each day.
Getting there
Self-guided county-wide studio loop; start at the Preview Exhibit, Canyon Gallery, Boulder Public Library Main Branch, 1001 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder.
Fees
Self-guided, family-friendly, free to attend; $10 donation suggested for the printed Guidebook.
Hours
Noon to 5:00 p.m. Saturdays & Sundays.
Access
Preview Exhibit on view through November 30, 2026, during regular library hours.
Walk-in or reserve
Self-guided; no reservation needed.
Phone
303-444-1862
Website
openstudios.org
Managed by
Co-executive directors Mary Horrocks and Angela Rose; founded by Gary Zeff (1995).
Established
1995 (first tour, 84 artists).

Upwards of 8,000 art lovers attend the Studio Tour each year, visiting more than 120 local visual artists to learn about artistic inspiration, mediums, techniques, and to purchase one-of-a-kind works of art.

Notable Events

  1. 1995Gary Zeff persuaded 84 Boulder County artists to throw open their studio doors for a couple of fall weekends, modeling the idea on Santa Cruz, California's Open Studios. yellowscene.com

People

  • Angela Rose, Co-Executive Director.
  • Gary Zeff, Open Studios Founder (1995).
  • Mary Horrocks, Co-Executive Director.
  • Anne Gifford, founding-era artist who helped build the Open Studios Tour; still participating.
  • Anne Shutan, founding-era artist who helped build the Open Studios Tour; still participating.
  • Barb Olson, founding-era artist who helped build the Open Studios Tour; still participating.
  • Barb Westfall, founding-era artist who helped build the Open Studios Tour; still participating.
  • Caroline Douglas, founding-era artist who helped build the Open Studios Tour; still participating.
  • Cha Cha, founding-era artist who helped build the Open Studios Tour; still participating.
  • Kathleen Spencer Johns, founding-era artist who helped build the Open Studios Tour; still participating.
  • Linda Faul, founding-era artist who helped build the Open Studios Tour; still participating.
  • Terry Crook, founding-era artist who helped build the Open Studios Tour; still participating.

Sources

  1. openstudios.org/open-studios-tour
  2. openstudios.org/overview
  3. openstudios.org/our-history
  4. openstudios.org/team
  5. openstudios.org
  6. yellowscene.com/2026/09/26/open-studios-presents-the-31st-annual-open-studios-tour
  7. openstudios.org/directory
  8. colorado.com/boulder/open-studios
  9. dailycamera.com/2019/10/03/boulders-open-studios-celebrates-25-years