2026 Open Studio Tour
July 18-19 & August 15-16
2026 Open Studio Tour Registration Information
UPDATE: At this time, Open Studio Tour registration is full. We have met the maximum capacity of 75 registered artists. If you would like to be placed on the waitlist, please complete the form linked below.
OVERVIEW: Once again, SCA will offer New Englanders the chance to visit the studios of some of the best artists living, working, and exhibiting in the four beautiful coastal towns of Tiverton, Little Compton, Westport, and Dartmouth. This well-publicized self-guided tour invites art lovers to travel along small highways and rural byways of stunning natural beauty. Open Studio Tour weekends are free, open to the public, and require no preregistration or advance ticketing for visitors.
REFUNDS: Artists who withdraw from the tour are not eligible for a refund. In the event that circum- stances beyond our control force South Coast Artists, Inc. to cancel the Open Studio Tour prior to May 1, all artists will be entitled to a full refund of their registration fee. In the event that such circumstances force the cancellation of the Tour after May 1, artists will receive a partial refund of $100. This is due to the expenses that the organization will have incurred by that date.
Here is a video guide to help walk you through the registration process!
BEFORE YOU REGISTER:
Make sure your images are properly named and resized
Put them in a separate folder, easy to find on your computer, to make the upload process faster
Copy and paste is your friend! Type out answers to the longer questions in a word document. At registration, you can simply copy and paste your answers into the correct boxes
Website links MUST BE URL’s- copy and paste them from your browser
Be sure to double check the spelling of your name, address and other personal information
If you need help, please ask! Email questions to Holly at tour@southcoastartists.org
IMPORTANT DATES REGARDING THE TOUR:
● February 1 -13 Early Bird Tour Registration
● February 14 - 28 - Tour Registration NEW: Registration will open at 8:00 a.m. on February 14th.
● February 28 - Tour Registration Closes. PLEASE NOTE: tour registration may close earlier if the maximum number of 75 artists is reached.
● March 2 - Tour Art Contest Submissions Open
● March 22 - Tour Art Contest Submissions Close
● May 21 - Tour Art Contest Winners Announced at Members Gathering
● June 17 - Kickoff Party at Weatherlow Farms, Westport, MA
● July 18-19 - Open Studio Tour Weekend One
● August 15-16 - Open Studio Tour Weekend Two
Annual Tour Art Contest
THEME: Following on last year’s elemental series theme of Air, this year we invite registered Tour artists to ignite their creativity through works on the theme of Fire!
Artistic creativity is like a fire—sometimes burning brightly, sometimes becoming glowing embers that must be stirred back to life. Ignite your creativity and share the way you experience the poetic complexities of fire in your work. Are you drawn to its energy and vibrant colors? Do you see fire as a destructive force? Is it a metaphor for passion, lust, fury, anger, hate? Or do you see fire as an element that keeps us warm and nourished? Or as a metaphor for purification, rebirth, determination, transformation, love?
Because the fire of the sun brings the light that makes it possible to see, to create, and to perceive shape, fire is the element most closely associated with artists and eyes. Let this element help you experience the heat of creativity and spark new beginnings in your work.
ELIGIBILITY: Participation is open only to members who are registered for the 2026 Open Studio Tour.
ENTRY PROCEDURE: Enter online at www.SouthCoastArtists.org via the Annual Art Contest form. One entry per member. No size limit. Work must have been created within the last three years.
IMAGES: The contest is judged on digital images only, so clear quality images are important. JPEGs must be a minimum size of 4” x 6” at 300 dpi. We encourage you to submit the highest-quality image possible (scanned images are recommended). Images must be labeled as follows: artist’s last name, underscore, first initial, underscore, a shortened version of the title, underscore, CON. For example, Roberta Smith’s painting, Two Trees in the Woods, would be labeled, Smith_R_2Trees_CON.jpg.
AWARDS: First place receives a Tour registration refund, a $350 value! Second place receives $200, third place receives $100. The winners also get their artwork in a featured section on the Tour brochure and increased exposure in promotional materials.
JUROR: Claudia Fiks is an art administrator with more than 2 decades of experience working in the art sector in the US and abroad. She is an independent curator, and writer dedicated to supporting artists and strengthening creative communities. She is the Founder and Executive Director of the New England Art Center and TAG Gallery in Boston’s SoWa Arts & Design District. Claudia also serves as Executive Director of Newton Open Studios. In addition to her curatorial work, Claudia is a correspondent for Artscope Magazine. Through exhibitions, talks, and workshops, she is deeply committed to helping artists navigate today’s complex and evolving art landscape with clarity and confidence.
2026 Tour Art Contest Juror
Claudia Fiks
Looking for ways to help announce your participation on the Open Studio Tour?
Please click the button below to find some SCA branded marketing materials.
SCA Mailing List Signup Form
In your bag of brochures and goodies, you found a poster to hang in your studio with a QR code link for visitors to sign up for our mailing list. We understand that some people are hesitant to sign up online, so we have created a form that you can print out to have people sign up while visiting your studios.
Once your form is complete, please send us the information to add to our master list. You can scan/photograph the list and email it to info@southcoastartists.org or you can mail it to us:
South Coast Artists
PO Box 3716
Westport, MA 02790
Please click here or on the image below to download the signup form & print out for the weekend.
SCA Youth Grant
Please have the Youth Grant brochures available for your visitors. We have added a poster you can print out to hang in your studio to support the brochures.
Applications for the grant are available online and must be received by January 15th. This project-based grant it open to residents/students of Newport County, RI or Bristol County, MA, aged 16-21.
Distribute Your Brochures!
We are looking to keep track of where brochures are being distributed. Please fill out this chart (or send us an email) with the date and drop-off location of the brochures. This chart is a great resource for us to be able to help re-stock when needed. If you visit a business that needs restocking, please let us know if you were not able to re-stock when you visited.
Places to distribute your brochures:
• Local Businesses
• Your Mailing List
• Public Library
• Friends & Family
• Visitor Centers
• Restaurants
Getting ready for the Tour!
Familiarize yourself with the Open Studio Tour Tips!
Download the SCA Mobile App!
RSVP for the 2026 Kickoff Party!
All registered Tour artists are required to attend the kickoff party Wednesday, June 17th at Weatherlow Farms in Westport, MA. At this event you will pick up your Tour brochures and other marketing materials. We will also take our yearly group photo and have the opportunity to meet other Tour artists, fellow members and our sponsors!
We are also looking for volunteers to help with setup for the party on Tuesday, June 16th as well as volunteers for the day of the party. The links below will be active as we get closer to the party!