2023 Tour dates are October 7 & 8, 14 & 15, 2023

Please read all of these important instructions about the Studio Tour.

The Whatcom Artist Studio Tour is a free, self-guided tour occurring the first two weekends of October. The Studio Tour offers visitors insights into the creative process, work-life and work-environment of area artists and provides an opportunity for people to purchase original works directly from their makers.

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In 2022, the tour featured nearly 50 local artists, showing throughout Bellingham and Whatcom County. The tour is widely promoted in the Seattle to Vancouver BC corridor and is cooperatively organized and run by the participants on a volunteer basis. In addition to the application fees, the tour obtains grant money and ad revenue from the brochure it publishes.

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The promoters of the Whatcom Artist Studio Tour make every effort to create a premier art experience for visitors, and a successful exhibiting and sales venue for artists in the Bellingham and Whatcom County areas.

 

Advertising and Promotion

Tour participants share in the benefits of group advertising including

• Their own page on the Tour website (www.studiotour.net). The page is left up during the entire year for visitor’s to use to view your artwork and contact you for appointments.

• Group art exhibits in galleries through the months leading up to the Tour 

• Directional signs, printed promotional materials you may have concerning upcoming shows or other art activities related to your work

• Social Media posts and boosted ads on Facebook and Instagram

• Coordinated press releases to area media, advertisements in periodical publications throughout Whatcom County, the Puget Sound area, and lower British Columbia

• A beautifully designed brochure, including tour maps and art photos as well as information about each artist. Posters are placed in local establishments, street banners and signage throughout the community. See it here.

 

As in previous years, and going forward, the Tour organizes and promotes additional exhibitions and exhibiting opportunities for Tour Artists throughout the year at various locations in Whatcom County, including the Whatcom Museum, Jansen Art Center, Allied Arts of Whatcom County, and Dakota Arts and others, as they become available.

 

Requirements for Acceptance

Standards of Work

All work submitted for jury and sold during WAST must be original works in its execution and design handcrafted by the applicant. Works that have been produced with commercial kits or prefabricated forms are not acceptable. No more than 40% of works displayed may be sideline reproductions of originals.

 

Jury Process

All new artists will jury in 2023. If you are a returning artist and participated in 2022 you do not have to jury. If you are a returning artist and DID NOT participate in 2022, then you will need to jury. Participating artists must jury every three years.

 

Tour Participation

• The tour is for YOU and the cooperative effort from all the artists that participate each year has made this event a premier venue for Whatcom County artists for 28 years. However, the tour doesn’t happen without your active participation. Every artist is required to contribute time doing a task or being on a committee. No exceptions.

• Tasks will be clearly defined and most require no more than a couple of hours. A sign-up sheet at the first meeting will outline the tasks and estimated time required.

• All artists are responsible for collecting and paying taxes to the appropriate city, county, and/or state tax agencies.

• The Whatcom Artist Studio Tour does not provide any insurance. It is the responsibility of the artist to carry the appropriate insurance.

• Artists’ studios must be open all days and hours of the tour. Artists must be present in their respective studios during the Tour barring extraordinary circumstances.

• Artists must live in Whatcom County. WAST strongly encourages each artist to provide demonstrations and/or visual representation of their artistic processes to the public.

• Acceptance of visitors to the artist's studio will be at the artist's discretion. You must provide your requirements to the Tour so that we can update your artist page on the website.

• The studio space must be suitable to show work.

• The studio must be large enough to accommodate tour visitors safely, with Covid Protocols, if required at the time and to offer them parking space.

• The studio must be located within Whatcom County.

• During the tour days and hours, the studio must sell only work by participating tour artists who have juried, been accepted and paid the WAST application and studio fee.

• Studios must include an actual art production area for each artist.

• Studios that provide education or instruction as a regular course of business may display but not sell student work during the show (unless the student is a paying WAST artist participant), unless you are a visiting juried tour artist sharing another artist’s studio, as a prearranged agreement.

 

Studio Tour Jury and Participation Fees

The jury fee for 2023 is $35. Applications open January, 2023 and close April 1, 2023. Participation fees for 2023 are $300. We strive to keep expenses as low as possible and they are directly affected by the number of artists that volunteer to help with the various tasks required to make the tour happen. These fees are per artist not per studio. Fees are due no later than June 1, 2023.

 

All fees may be paid by check or credit card.

Mail checks to

Whatcom Artist Studio Tour

PO Box 5921

Bellingham, WA 98227

 

The fee includes:

• A website listing for each artist that includes five color photographs of work, a tag line, a studio, an email address and a personal website link. 

• Brochure listing with1photo of your artwork and address/contact information.

• Participation in pre-tour group shows.

• Social Media promotion

 

Important Upcoming Dates

The first General Meeting (required for participating artists) will be announced once the application period has ended.