28th Annual Portland Open Studios Application

Applications Due February 28

Event dates:  October 10 & 11, 17 & 18, 2026

 

Lego person posed as an artist with text on the image saying, "Call to Artists," "Application open Feb 1-28," "Event Oct 11, 12, 18 & 19," "Portlandopenstudios.com" and the Portland Open Studios Logo.

About the Tour

Portland Open Studios is a juried studio tour of 100+ artists in Portland, Oregon, providing a unique opportunity for artists to open their studios to the public. Now in our 28th year, Portland Open Studios is a premier and anticipated annual arts event which attracts visitors from the community and beyond. The tour is a FREE event for visitors, and attendees can view or print the tour guide and maps online via mobile or desktop devices. Participating artists engage with the community by demonstrating their methods and showing their work. This event will be held during the days of October 10 & 11, 17 & 18, 2026, from 10 am to 4 pm.

A $25 application fee is required for all applicants, and a $250 participation fee is due upon acceptance.

 

Eligibility

Open to residents of Portland, Oregon who work in all visual media (except film/video/performance).

Artists are required to open their studios (a studio is any workspace in which the artist is permitted to be open to the public and where the artist can demonstrate their working methods—living rooms, garages, etc. are permissible) for all tour hours of both weekends of the event.

Exhibiting artists must include an educational element showcased along with their work. This includes elements like the documentation of their creative methods or actual demonstrations of technical and creative processes for studio visitors.

Artists are expected to self-promote their participation in any manner they choose (neighborhood poster, online campaign, facebook/Instagram posts) as long as any mention of their studio address includes information about Portland Open Studios.

Studio addresses must be within Portland city limits. Check your studio's location eligibility by clicking on the link below.

Portland City Limits

Images

Submit 4 images for the jury, adhering to the specifications listed below. If accepted, these images will be used for PDXOS online and print advertising. You will not be able to resubmit images or make changes after submitting your application.

  • File format:  JPEG only
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3 (approximately 1200 x 900 pixels) at 300 dpi
  • File Size:  5 MB maximum

 

Jury Procedure

Your four images will be judged by the jurors, along with your artist statement. While some of the application questions are required in order to obtain information for the Portland Open Studios website and some are asked for potential use in publicity or demographic information, none of the identifying application questions are seen by the jurors.

Four jurors from the art community will score each artist based on these criteria:

  • Quality of work: Is the art visually engaging, skillfully executed, thought-provoking, etc?

  • Professional Presentation: Do your photos have a clear background, good angles and lighting? Is your written communication clear? Is your application thorough?

  • Consistent Voice: Are your submitted art pieces stylistically and thematically consistent? Please note that the jury will be looking for consistency here, not versatility, so if you work in multiple mediums or styles, it is best to choose one to showcase.

The combined jury scores determine which artists are invited to participate.

 

What PDXOS Offers Accepted Artists

  • A dedicated profile page on the PDXOS website. This features a link to your website, an artist statement, the four images you submitted in this application, and social media links.
  • Access to the Portland Open Studios Artist Portal, which includes access to all previous recordings of professional development workshops, panels and discussions.
  • PDXOS branded yard signs directing visitors to studios. These are lent to each artist for the duration of the tour.
  • Invitation to two essential artist meetings providing tour information, professional promotion tips, and the opportunity to connect with other accepted artists.
  • Cross-promotion and announcements about the event will be published via Portland Open Studios social media and other advertising venues leading up to the tour.
  • The opportunity to coordinate self-promotion with Portland Open Studios using social media resources provided to you in the PDXOS member portal.
  • The opportunity to participate in Instagram artist takeovers before the event, to promote yourself and your work via the PDXOS Instagram page for a single, targeted day.
  • Artists may be invited to engage in additional marketing and art sales opportunities with PDXOS, including but not limited to art exhibitions, news coverage, interviews, and art workshops or classes.

 

Program Timeline

February 10: Zoom Info Session for interested applicants 6-7 pm (PST)
February 28: Application submissions close at 5 pm (PST)
March 25: Accepted artists will be notified by email
March 31: Artists must accept the invitation to participate
April 15: The 2025 artist list will be released to the public
May 15: Zoom Artist Meeting, 6 pm—Receive relevant information about the tour and other events for the year. Q & A. Opportunity to volunteer as Community Leader for your artist community.
Date to be Announced: Preview Show - open to the public. Each artist may provide one art work for display and sale during the event. 80% of every sale goes to the artist and 20% goes to Portland Open Studios to help fund events and programs.
October 10 & 11, 17 & 18: Weekend dates of studio tour. Studios open 10 am – 4 pm.

 

A link to the 2025 Zoom Info Session recording on YouTube is provided below. The Zoom Session for 2026 takes place on February 10th (details to be advised)

Scholarship Opportunities

Kimberly Gales Emerging Artist Scholarship:

Artists up to 30 years of age are encouraged to apply for the Kimberly Gales Scholarship to Portland Open Studios. The recipient will have their participation fee waived.

The scholarship application is available upon request. Select that you would like to apply (the Yes/No question towards the end of this application form), and we will send you the additional requirements and the necessary application form.

Molly Cliff Hilts Scholarship for Historically Marginalized Artists:

Artists of all ages from historically marginalized communities are encouraged to apply for the Molly Cliff Hilts Scholarship to Portland Open Studios. The recipient will have their participation fee waived.

The scholarship application is available upon request. Select that you would like to apply (the Yes/No question towards the end of this application form), and we will send you the additional requirements and the necessary application form.

Process My Application

When you have completed all required fields and the optional fields in the form, click on the SEND button at the end of the application to submit your application. If the application is successfully submitted, you will receive two emails—one payment receipt and one application confirmation.

TIP: All questions marked as *Required must be answered and payment rendered in order to submit this form. You will receive two emails if your submission was successful—one payment receipt and one application confirmation.

2026 Artist Application
First Name *
Last Name *
Gender Pronouns
If other, please specify below
Will not be displayed publicly
To participate in the 2026 Portland Open Studios, you must have a studio address within the Portland city limits
Country
Address Line 1 *
City *
State/Province *
Postal Code *
If you don't currently have a studio address within the Portland city limits, but plan on obtaining one, enter your current home address.
Wheelchair Accessible?
*Accessibility is not required to be part of the tour, just notated.
"Wheelchair accessible" means barrier-free/step-free access (with no slopes, uneven terrain, or narrow doorways), allowing wheelchair users to enter, maneuver, and use facilities independently
If your studio is not fully wheelchair accessible, you may optionally enter a note about any accessibility considerations below.
i.e. "some steps", "uneven terrain", "slight slope", etc.
If you have a website, enter the URL below:
Include http:// or https://
If you have an Instagram account, enter the URL below
Include http:// or https:// (not your Instagram 'handle' [i.e. "@thegreatestartist"])
If you have some other social media account you would like to list (facebook, for instance), enter the URL below
Include http:// or https://
If you're a social media maven and have yet another social media account you would like to list, enter the URL below
Include http:// or https://
If accepted in Portland Open Studios, would you like to participate in our Instagram takeover?

Artist Bio

In third person format (i.e. "Jane Smith lives and works in..."). May include a brief listing of relevant education or mentorships, solo or group exhibitions, collections, teaching, publications, public works, etc.

Artist Statement (200 words maximum)

In first person format (i.e. "My work is...") Things to include: Your working process, inspirations, intended audience, materials, etc. DO NOT include: anything that would identify yourself to the jury, as your entry will be judged anonymously.
How do you plan to demonstrate your artmaking process during the tour? *Required
Required image format:
JPEG only, 4:3 aspect ratio (approximately 1200 X 900 pixels) and 300 dpi, 5 MB maximum
No file selected
Please enter information about the image below:
Title, year made (optional), medium(s), H x W x D in inches (depth only if applicable)
Required image format:
JPEG only, 4:3 aspect ratio (approximately 1200 X 900 pixels) and 300 dpi, 5 MB maximum
No file selected
Please enter information about the image below:
Title, year made (optional), medium(s), H x W x D in inches (depth only if applicable)
Required image format:
JPEG only, 4:3 aspect ratio (approximately 1200 X 900 pixels) and 300 dpi, 5 MB maximum
No file selected
Please enter information about the image below:
Title, year made (optional), medium(s), H x W x D in inches (depth only if applicable)
Required image format:
JPEG only, 4:3 aspect ratio (approximately 1200 X 900 pixels) and 300 dpi, 5 MB maximum
No file selected
Please enter information about the image below:
Title, year made (optional), medium(s), H x W x D in inches (depth only if applicable)
Which media would you like listed to represent the majority of your work?
Please choose up to four media categories
You may use descriptions like: Bronze Casting, Embroidery, Scratchboard, or Pyrography, etc. If you have checked "Other", those doing a search on the website for Artists in the "Other" category will see your listing, with your other description.
Are you applying for the Kimberly Gales Scholarship for Emerging Talent?
Eligibility: Artists between the ages of 20 and 30
If yes, we will email you the link to apply
Are you applying for the Molly Cliff Hilts Memorial Scholarship for Historically Marginalized Artists?
Eligibility: Artists who are a member of a historically marginalized community
If yes, we will email you an amended application
The participation fee is $250 per applicant and is non-refundable after you confirm participation. If accepted, will you:
If a payment plan is necessary, full payment must be complete by May 1st.
25.00
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