ArtSpan

Last updated
ArtSpan
Location
  • San Francisco, CA
Executive Director
Joen Madonna
Website www.artspan.org

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]

Contents

50th Anniversary

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.

AMPLIFY: Juror's Choice Award Winners [5]
YearArtistJuror
2023Joseph AbbatiJames Miille, Co-Founder & Managing Partner of Superfine Art Fair
Andrew DeWittJonathan Carver Moore, Founding Director of Jonathan Carver Moore
Uma Rani IyliMichael Arcega, Associate Professor of Art at San Francisco State University
Bussie Parker KehoeTaVee Lee, Manager of Transmission Gallery
Bianca LevanValerie Imus, Artistic Director & Co-Director, Southern Exposure
2022Amber GruhlkeySarah Choe, Co-owner & Director of Soft Times Gallery
Debra DeeRaul D'Mauries & Felicia Ann, Cofounders and Managing Partners of Helvella Gallery
Debra DeeMichelle A. Delaney, Manager & Owner of 111 Minna Gallery
Debra DeeDr. Martina Ayala, Executive Director of the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts
Debra DeeBradley Platz, Cofounder & Managing Partner of Modern Eden Gallery
2021Uma Rani IyliKelsey Issel, Arts Program Consultant & Co-owner of She Bends
Uma Rani IyliJustin Hoover, Executive Director of the Chinese Historical Society of America
Geneviève L'HeureuxAnnette Schutz, Owner ArtHaus Consulting
Mike SanchezEric Murphy, Curator for Joyce Gordon Gallery
Artemis Laura SchatzkinRandolph Belle, Principal of RBA Creative
2020Joseph AbbatiAshley L. Voss, Owner & Director, Voss Gallery
Nina FabunmiEden Stein, Owner & Curator, Secession Art and Design
Nina FabunmiMarsha Connell Studio, Sonoma County Art Professor⁠
Roberta AhrensMatt McKinley, Owner, McKinley Art Solutions⁠
Geneviève L'HeureuxPhilip Bewley, Gallery Director & Curator, DZINE Gallery
2019Joshua Coffy [6] Irene Hernandez-Feiks, Curator & Founder of WonderlandSF & Chillin Productions
Aynur Girgin Westen [7] James Bacchi, Founding Partner of ArtHaus Gallery
Tanya Herrera [8] Patience Yi, Executive Director of Code and Canvas
Paul Madonna [9] Donna Seager, Founding Partner of Seager Gray Gallery
Mike Sanchez [10] Dylan Ozanich. Founding Partner of Scale Up Art
Sandra Yagi [11] Alan Bamberger, Art Consultant & Appraiser of ArtBusiness.com
2018Tamara Avery [12]
Cy de Groat [13]
Camila Magrane [14]
Lynn Rubenzer [15]
Stevan Shapona [16]
2017Ariel Gold [17]
Jane B. Grimm [18]
Michael Jang [19]
William Rhodes [20]
Cindy Shih [21]
Beth Davila Waldman [22]
Aynur Girgin Westin [23]
2016 Paul Madonna [24]
Robert Sakovich
Amy Ahlstrom [25]
Catherine Mackey [26]
Ramiro Cairo [27]
Liz Hickok [28]
Katja Leibenath [29]
2015Amy Ahlstrom [30]
Kathy Aoki [31]
Monica Denevan [32]
Ivy Jacobsen [33]
Nina Katz [34]
Christine Meuris [35]
Kim Smith [36]
Maxine Solomon [37]
Sandra Yagi [38]

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References

  1. ↑ Waxmann, Laura (Nov 6, 2015). "40th Annual ArtSpan Open Studios Is This Weekend in SF Mission". Mission Local.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Nob Hill Gazette (2024). "50 Years of San Francisco Open Studios". Nob Hill Gazette. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  3. ↑ Volpicelli, Anna (October 2008). "Artists Who Collect: Inside the SF Homes of Obsessive Creatives". 7x7 Magazine.
  4. ↑ "SF Open Studios 2018". San Francisco Examiner . October 11, 2018.
  5. ↑ "AMPLIFY: SF Open Studios Juror's Choice Awards". ArtSpan. 2019-10-01. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  6. ↑ "Artist Profile". ArtSpan. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  7. ↑ "Artist Profile". ArtSpan. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  8. ↑ "Artist Profile". ArtSpan. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  9. ↑ "Artist Profile". ArtSpan. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  10. ↑ "Mike Sanchez Photography". Mike Sanchez Photography. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  11. ↑ "Artist Profile". ArtSpan. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  12. ↑ "Artist Profile". ArtSpan. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  13. ↑ "Artist Profile". ArtSpan. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  14. ↑ "Artist Profile". ArtSpan. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  15. ↑ "Artist Profile". ArtSpan. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  16. ↑ "Artist Profile". ArtSpan. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  17. ↑ "Artist Profile". ArtSpan. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  18. ↑ "Artist Profile". ArtSpan. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  19. ↑ "Artist Profile". ArtSpan. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  20. ↑ "Artist Profile". ArtSpan. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  21. ↑ "Artist Profile". ArtSpan. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  22. ↑ "Artist Profile". ArtSpan. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  23. ↑ "Artist Profile". ArtSpan. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  24. ↑ "Artist Profile". ArtSpan. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  25. ↑ "Artist Profile". ArtSpan. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  26. ↑ "Artist Profile". ArtSpan. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  27. ↑ "Artist Profile". ArtSpan. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  28. ↑ "Artist Profile". ArtSpan. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  29. ↑ "Artist Profile". ArtSpan. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  30. ↑ "Artist Profile". ArtSpan. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  31. ↑ "Kathy Aoki Art" . Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  32. ↑ "Artist Profile". ArtSpan. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  33. ↑ "IVY JACOBSEN". www.ivyjacobsen.com. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  34. ↑ "Nina Katz". Nina Katz. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  35. ↑ "Home". christinemeuris. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  36. ↑ "Artist Profile". ArtSpan. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  37. ↑ "Maxine Solomon". Maxine Solomon. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  38. ↑ "Artist Profile". ArtSpan. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
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