November 14, 15, & 16
Explore tour schedules, studio locations, and helpful tips to navigate the 2025 Open Studio Tours. Immerse yourself in the vibrant creative community of the greater Tucson area.
Plan Your Tour with Our Mobile App
This year, the Arts Foundation will adopt Toureka! App, a free mobile app designed specifically for studio tours.
Use our custom app to:
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Search by artist, medium, or location.
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Build itineraries, mark favorites, and use an interactive map.
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Tags for restrooms, accessibility, and more.
Now live!
Participating Artists
Browse through this year’s talented lineup.
Tim O’Grady Art
Judy A. Morgan
Vera Gates
Joyce Nelson
Tom Bergin
DJ Graham
Kathy Keler
Madeline Shea
Dennis Canty
Artists & Makers Studios
Shereba Rich
Heather Bentz
Santa Theresa Tile Works
Barbara Brandel
John (Jack) Penczar
Rani Olson
Mary Lou McCambridge
Russell W Recchion
Jerry Nelson
The Prussian Blue
FROM MARS
Judith Koziana
Perianne Grignon
Beth Giachetti Fine Art
Visitor FAQ
What is the purpose of Open Studios Tours?
Open Studio Tours Online allows Southern Arizona’s artists to in person/virtually invite visitors into their studios and creative workspaces, free-of-charge, so they can directly engage with the working artists, see where art is created, and learn more about their artistic processes.
Does it cost anything to attend Open Studio Tours?
Open Studio Tours is free to attend! We encourage attendees to consider purchasing artwork to support local artists.
Will there be in-person tours in 2025?
Yes, The Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona and Open Studio Tours are supporting in-person studio tours in 2025 and beyond.
Supporting Local Art
Just by participating in Open Studio Tours, you are supporting your local arts and arts scene! OST is free to attend and no purchase is required, but with a range of price points, you might find something perfect for you. Here are resources to guide you in buying local art during OST.
Set a budget
You wouldn’t invest in stocks, bonds, or precious metals without first determining a budget, your art collection is no different. When you start an art collection, you are starting a new investment portfolio.
Not only should you determine how much you want to spend, but you should also determine how you will use the amount budgeted. Is your budget for 6 months or an entire year? Are you budgeting for a single $1,000 acquisition or four $250 pieces?
As a newbie, you’ll want to focus on quality over quantity. Your budget will probably change over time, so it’s important that those early pieces are pieces with real value.
Ask what is available
“There is a threshold here,” says Bill Havu, owner of William Havu Gallery in the Golden Triangle. “Original art is not a poster, so it’s not going to run you what a poster does. To get into original art, you’re probably talking a range of $750 to $1,000.” So, yeah. Original art isn’t cheap. What might be surprising to know, however, is this: Gallery owners get it. They know not everyone has a truckload of dough to spend on beautiful things. As such, they aren’t going to be offended if you tell them you only have $800 to spend. They even welcome it.
“It’s OK to tell me that you have $1,000 and you’re wondering what I have in that price range,” says David B. Smith, owner and director of LoDo’s David B. Smith Gallery. “I have a bunch of hidden gems for less than that.” In fact, most galleries have rich storage areas where they stockpile artwork that isn’t on exhibit. What might be back there? “If you see something you like on display but you can’t afford it,” Havu says, “ask if there are smaller-size pieces or works on paper or limited-run prints from that same artist in the back. You might be surprised by what’s available.”
How to tell if you're buying the right art
Did you see an artwork that has been on your mind ever since you left the gallery? If you stumble upon a piece that sticks with you, that makes you step back or lean in, then this may be the piece for you. Trust your instinct. The best works are ones that you can keep coming back to.
Maybe they trigger a memory for you, or maybe they remind you of a person you love. Whatever it is, these are the works that emotionally speak to you, and that is the best kind of work to have.
We all have a unique perspective on what is “good” art, so do not [buy] an artwork that you aren’t feeling. Even if somebody is an expert and says that an artwork is valuable or beautiful, if you don’t like it then you shouldn’t buy it. You are the one who has to live with it, and you should only decorate your walls with works that speak to you on a personal level.
– From The Art of Buying Art