ArtSpan

ArtSpan is a San Francisco, California, nonprofit organization that produces the oldest and largest artist open studios event in the United States. Started in 1975, ArtSpan's San Francisco Open Studios (SFOS) takes place over four weekends in the fall each year with a different city district highlighted each weekend. The Open Studios take place in a myriad of different locations within each district. Some are in art galleries, some in apartments, some in garages and some in store fronts. Local publications often make recommendations for each weekend. In 2023, over 600 local artists participated in SFOS.^[1]

In 2024, San Francisco Open Studios celebrated its 50th anniversary. The inaugural event in 1975 featured 67 artists, primarily in the South of Market area. By 2024, the event had grown significantly, with around 500 artists participating across the city.^[2]

To commemorate this milestone, ArtSpan, the nonprofit organization that has managed Open Studios since 1991, organized a special exhibition titled "From Disco Days to the Tech Craze: 50 Years of ArtSpan SF Open Studios." The exhibition, held at the San Francisco Public Library's Jewett Gallery, showcased Open Studios ephemera, including maps, guides, photos from past events, and artwork from long-time participating artists.^[2]

The 2024 Open Studios event ran from September 19 through October 13, following the opening of the commemorative exhibition on September 12. Despite facing challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the "great art diaspora" - artists leaving San Francisco for more affordable cities - ArtSpan's executive director, Joen Madonna, remained optimistic about the future of the arts in San Francisco, noting a shift "away from tech dominance and back toward creative dominance."^[2]

Throughout its history, San Francisco Open Studios has played a crucial role in connecting artists with the public and helping artists see themselves as professionals. The event has also adapted to changing times, including initiatives to secure affordable studio spaces for artists and programs to mentor youth artists.^[2] While many of the artist's works can be found in galleries during the year, Open Studios gives the public the opportunity to meet the artists, see a much broader representation of the artist's work than can be seen in any other exhibit short of a retrospective and to buy original art work without gallery markups.^[3]

Artspan also hosts the San Francisco Open Studios Exhibition that includes works from over 400 Open Studio artists organized by the districts the artists are showing in. SFOS gallery curators each choose a favorite piece. The AMPLIFY: Juror's Choice Awards are presented at ArtLaunch,^[4] the event that marks the opening of the SFOS Exhibition.

• ArtSpan website