Sixty-seven local artists will throw open the doors to their private studios, backyards and workshops across Napa County this month, part of a free, self-guided tour that has run for 38 years. Open Studios Napa Valley takes place over two weekends, Sept. 19-20 and Sept. 26-27, with visiting hours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, spanning a 20-mile stretch of Napa County.
The event is managed by the Art Association Napa Valley, which has run the tour for 15 years, according to the Napa Valley Register. The nonprofit, founded in 1948 as the Napa Valley Art and Garden Association and later renamed, is Napa County's oldest nonprofit visual arts organization, according to the City of Napa. Featured mediums this year include glass, ceramics, oils and mixed media, and the tour includes a shared-space hub of seven artists gathered at the Yountville Community Center Plaza.
Gary Lavender, a longtime Napan who joined the nonprofit's fundraising arm two years before the article's publication, described the tour's founding purpose. “The original concept was to invite the public into artists' studios to see their environment and demonstrations,” Lavender said, per the Register's report. He added that the personal connections are what keep him coming back: “Every artist has a story, and I think that is what really energizes me,” he said.
A No-Pressure Look Inside Artists' Private Worlds
Unlike a typical art fair, Open Studios Napa Valley maintains a strict no-pressure-to-buy policy, welcoming visitors into artists' private workspaces and studios without any expectation of a sale. That openness is part of the draw for artists like Peggy Francis, this year's event chairperson, who creates large-scale abstracts. Francis said Open Studios lets her see people interact with her art directly, the Register reports.
Francis and her husband, Harold Francis, are based in Napa and have participated in Open Studios Napa Valley for nearly 15 years, turning their home, garden and workspace into a full exhibition space during the tour. Harold Francis creates ceramics and abstract art, and previously trained sea lions and exotic animals before turning to his craft, per the same account.
Kent Parker, participating in his fourth year, creates custom display cabinets, guitar stands and containers built from collected wood and stone. Parker previously worked as a boat builder, repair and cabinet business operator, and marine surveyor before shifting his focus to fine woodworking. “Artists and visitors get a unique opportunity to connect and see a lot of work at once,” Parker said, according to the Register. Also joining this year's tour is visiting ceramicist Mary Studer.
Kickoff Reception at a Former Whiskey Distillery
Ahead of the two touring weekends, Open Studios Napa Valley holds a public kickoff preview reception on Sept. 11 at Jessel Gallery, located at 1019 Atlas Peak Road in Napa. The gallery itself carries its own history: founded in 1984 inside a former whiskey distillery, it has since expanded into a 6,500-square-foot Napa Valley landmark, according to Napa Valley Life Magazine.
Participating artists face real professional standards to join the tour. Entrants were required to pay a $325 entry fee, maintain valid state resale licenses, and guarantee at least 10 original artworks available for sale each day of the tour, according to the Art Association Napa Valley. Artists based outside Napa County may still participate, provided they partner with a local Napa County artist to share studio space or exhibit at a county location.
Printed Directories and Digital Maps Guide the Route
To help visitors navigate the sprawling tour, the Art Association Napa Valley distributes 7,000 printed directories to local businesses, regional hubs, the Napa Visitors Center and the Yountville Chamber of Commerce. The directories include images of each participating artist's work, categorized by subject matter and medium, and a full digital directory is also available online at artnv.org/open-studios-home.
The tour runs largely on volunteers and is entirely free to attend. Beyond the four-day event, the association operates a year-round cooperative gallery, Art Gallery Napa Valley, at 1307 First Street in downtown Napa, showcasing work from more than 50 local member artists. The organization also runs a primary facility at 1520 Behrens Street in Napa, offering studio, workshop and class space, including a Clay and Glass Center.
Revenue generated from Open Studios entry fees, member dues and gallery sales feeds directly back into the community, according to the association. The event takes place across Napa County, and the association is a member of Yountville Arts and the Downtown Napa Association.
Open Studios Napa Valley is part of Napa County's broader public art landscape, which also includes outdoor sculpture trails, murals and winter events like the Napa Lighted Arts Festival, according to Visit Napa Valley.
According to Napa County, the Board approved $60,870 for the Napa County Local Arts Agency to implement the Napa County Cultural Plan as part of its 2025-2026 arts and culture grant recommendations. Nationally, 25.0 percent of U.S. adults attended at least one live, in-person performance and/or art exhibit between April and July 2024, according to the National Endowment for the Arts.
