Most art exhibitions show visitors the finished product. For two weekends this October, artists across Philadelphia will invite people into the places where that work actually gets made.
Philadelphia Open Studio Tours, known as POST, will open more than 150 artist studios and creative spaces across the city on Oct. 10-11 and Oct. 17-18. Organizers say this year’s event will reach more than 26 Philadelphia neighborhoods, giving visitors a chance to step inside artists’ workspaces, see what they’re making and get a closer look at work ranging from painting and ceramics to photography, mixed media and metalworking.
There isn’t one festival site or a route everyone has to follow. Instead, the free event is self-guided, allowing visitors to use POST’s maps to build their own tour. That could mean checking out a few studios close to home or spending an afternoon exploring another part of the city.
The first weekend, Oct. 10-11, focuses on studios west of Broad Street, including Center City West, Chestnut Hill and Mount Airy, East Falls, Roxborough and Manayunk, Fairmount and Francisville, Germantown and West Philadelphia.
On Oct. 17-18, the tour shifts east of Broad Street, with studios in Center City East, South Kensington and Fishtown, North Philadelphia, Northern Liberties, Old City, Port Richmond and Northeast Philadelphia, Queen Village and Bella Vista and South Philadelphia.
What visitors see will depend on which doors they walk through. In addition to open studios, the weekends will include live demonstrations, hands-on workshops, exhibitions, artist talks, receptions and other special events.
Participating studios will be marked with red balloons and POST signs. Organizers also say free printed tour directories will be available at participating locations and Free Library of Philadelphia branches beginning in mid-September.
Philadelphia Open Studio Tours has been held since 1999 and is organized by the Center for Emerging Visual Artists. Studios will be open from noon-6 p.m. on all four tour dates.
Philadelphia Open Studio Tours
West of Broad Street: Saturday-Sunday, Oct. 10-11 | noon-6 p.m.
East of Broad Street: Saturday-Sunday, Oct. 17-18 | noon-6 p.m.
Studios and creative spaces across Philadelphia
Free to attend
Self-guided
Find more upcoming events here.
Have an event coming up? Let the PhillyVoice Events team know about it by emailing events@phillyvoice.com.
