In this episode, I sit down with Bree Karpavage, the Open Studios and Tannery Arts Center Manager from Arts Council Santa Cruz County, to break down Santa Cruz Open Studios and why it’s become a core event for artists and the wider community. We talk through how the tour works, what it takes for artists to join, and why art visibility, education, and funding all connect.
• What Santa Cruz Open Studios is and how the October art tour works
• The scale of participation across the county and how to plan a route
• The financial impact for artists and what $1.4M in art sales signals
• Who Open Studios is best for and what artists need to prepare
• Professional development workshops that teach business skills for artists
• How the application and jury process works and what gets submitted
• Studio accessibility plus host locations for artists without public-ready spaces
• Barriers to entry, including fees and the emerging artist fund
• Why art matters to community health, culture, and voice
Find Bree:
Open Studios Santa Cruz County
