Madison Area Open Art Studios
Madison-area Open Art Studios celebrates and illuminates local artists
by providing the general public with intimate access to 150+ art studios
for one weekend in October. The event kicks off with a two-week
exhibition filling all three of the Overture Center Galleries with work
by each artist. The exhibition will have a large opening reception on
September 28th and coincide with Madison Gallery Night on October 5th.
On October 6-7, artists will open their studio spaces to the public,
giving demonstrations, discussing technique and inspiration, and
demystifying the art making process by showing what’s “behind the
curtain” in an art studio. Like the Parade of Homes, this is a parade of
studios.
Opportunities for Growth
The long term goal is for Open Studios to have the reach and impact of
other local festivals – becoming the arts equivalent of the Wisconsin
Book Festival and the Wisconsin Film Festival. Celebrating its 5th year,
Open Studios has grown annually. In 2006, studio attendance was 20,000
people and the opening reception attracted over 5,000 people. In 2007 we
hope to increase attendance to 30,000 by focusing on regional and
out-of-state markets (Fox Valley, Milwaukee, Chicago, Minneapolis and
the Quad Cities).
The reception and exhibition will be located at the Overture Center for
the second year. In addition to the 150 works displayed, a raffle of 100
additional artworks donated by participating artist will be held at the
opening reception to yield funds for the 2008 Open Studios event. The
opening reception will be located in the Promenade Terrace and will be
free and open to the public. All participating artists will have their
studios spaces open to the public Saturday, October 6 and Sunday,
October 7. These range from professional studios to artists’ homes to
creative studio spaces (book stores, the zoo, malls). The experience is
family-friendly and free to the general public, allowing both the arts
connoisseur and those new to contemporary art to explore studios in an
inviting and informal way.
What’s Behind the Curtain?
One of the issues faced by Dane County artists is the general public’s
unfamiliarity with contemporary work. While hundreds of artists are
doing extraordinary work in the community, few have the option to show
regularly and embrace large audiences. Open Studios helps demystify the
creative process, inviting people into the artists’ inner sanctum to see
how the work is created – to smell the paint, watch the glass get blown,
see the blowtorch, touch the sculpture, watch the raw materials become a
work of art or craft. This is a wonderful opportunity for both the
general public and the artists themselves to experience an informal
setting for art. Far from the white walls and pristine spaces of museums
and galleries, the general public is invited on a free, self-guided tour
through the art studios of Dane County’s emerging, mid-career, and
professional artists.
Contessa Says Archive
Appreciation: Textures, Shadows, and the Focus on Life's Details (5/11/07)
O Fortuna! Arts TRIBE Collaborative (4/13/07)
Supporting the Cause: Arts Day 2007 (3/13/07)
Seven Artists Explore the Ins and Outs of 'Baggage' (3/5/07)
Madison Photographers: Through The Lens (2/07)
Arts Incubator: Accelerate the Arts (1/07)