Interested in participating in City-Wide Open Studios and sharing your practice with visitors through an exhibition the size of a city? Read on for more information about the benefits of participating and for information on each of the three CWOS weekends.
Why participate in City-Wide Open Studios?
If you are new to the area, CWOS is an incredible way to meet the large community of artists living and working in Greater New Haven, to introduce your work to local audiences, and to receive feedback. If you have participated in CWOS before, we hope you will use this year's event as a way to move your practice forward in solidarity with your fellow artists, and in so doing make the visual arts community as visible as it can be.
Choosing Your Weekend
Read our descriptions of each of the Open Studios weekends to help you decide which weekend is the best fit for you and your artistic practice. We've also included descriptions of the Festival Exhibition and Closing Party, in which all artists will participate.
Open Studios Opening Reception: October 5, 2012 (5:00–8:00 PM)
Celebrate the festival kickoff at an Opening Reception at Artspace with all the artists! The central hub exhibition features one small representative work by each artist participating in CWOS, mounted according to location in the city. The public will come to the show to view your work, decide where to visit, and pick up the Official Map & Guide. After our opening, stay in the area for a night of LAMP (Light Artists Making Places) and The Crystal Ball—both will take place throughout the Ninth Square late into the evening.
Open Studios Passport Weekend: October 6–7, 2012 (12:00–5:00 PM)
This weekend features artists in their private studios throughout New Haven, West Haven, North Haven, and Hamden. Artspace will offer guided visits to artists participating in the Crystal Anniversary initiative. This weekend will also include a special space devoted to furniture and makers of functional objects—please contact Jeff Carter (j2gcarter[at]gmail.com) if you are interested. If you will be in your studio and are willing to offer a demonstration, please contact JP Culligan: jp[at]artspacenh.org.
Open Studios Erector Square Weekend: October 13–14, 2012 (12:00–5:00 PM)
Erector Square acts as a hub of artistic activity in Fair Haven. A high concentration of artist studios—housed in a former Erector Set factory—make it an especially exciting place to be during Open Studios. A limited number of spaces at Erector Square are available for short-term rental; if you are interested please contact Kathy Telman (203.865.5055 or erectorsquare[at]yahoo.com) to inquire about rates and availability. Artspace volunteers will be on hand with maps, schedules of demonstrations and directions for visitors. Artspace is also looking for Erector Square artists to assist with signage and coordination in preparation for the event; those who are able to help will have the CWOS fee waived and should contact JP Culligan: jp[at]artspacenh.org.
Open Studios Alternative Space Weekend: October 20–21, 2012 (12:00–5:00 PM)
The Alternative Space weekend sets New Haven’s CWOS apart from other open studio weekends by offering artists from across Connecticut, and those who are interested in creating site-specific works, a unique backdrop to showcase their talents. Each year the Alternative Space provides artists with the chance to show work in vacant historic properties throughout the city, connecting artists and visitors with different areas of New Haven each year. This year’s exhibition will take place in the New Haven Register Building (40 Sargent Drive, off I95), a mid-century building that was originally built as the Gant Shirt Factory. It has most recently been a newspaper production plant, where writers have long been committed to the same notions of transparency and clarity that will help inspire CWOS’s crystal-themed work!
Open Studios Closing Party for Artists:October 25, 2012
The enthusiastic support and participation of area artists is what keeps Open Studios exciting year after year! To show our gratitude to all of the artists who have made this year’s Open Studios possible, Artspace will be holding a special celebration, just for artists, in the Beinecke Library. The library will be closed to the public, much in the way the Yale Art Gallery was last year. October 25th will also be an artwork pick-up day at Artspace, making it easy for out-of-town artists to take part in our evening festivities!
Image Credits: Top four images, courtesy of Artspace staff. Bottom image, courtesy of Yale University.
