2026 Port Townsend Artist Studio Tour: Participation Guide
Tour Dates: August 21, 22, 23 10AM–4PM
Explore everything you need to know about joining the 21st Annual Artist Studio Tour! From registration to event expectations, this document provides essential guidance for a smooth and successful experience.
ABOUT THE STUDIO TOUR
The Port Townsend Artist Studio Tour is a free, self-guided tour held annually on the third weekend in August.
The event provides visitors with a glimpse into the creative process of local artists and the spaces where art comes to life, while offering opportunities for meaningful connections, sharing stories, and to purchase original works directly from their creators.
The Tour attracts visitors from Jefferson, Clallam, Kitsap, and King counties, as well as Portland, Seattle, Bellingham, and British Columbia. In 2024 and 2025, during the month of August, over 8,000 individuals visited the Artist Studio Tour website, and the Port Townsend Artist Studio Tour Instagram had over 30,000 views. Artists reported up to 200 guests stopping by their studios throughout the weekend..
The Tour is volunteer run, with funding from application fees covering operational expenses.
Our goal is to create a fun and inspiring art experience for visitors and provide a meaningful opportunity for artists in Port Townsend.
Tour Participation Guidelines
This cooperative event relies on the active involvement of all participating artists. Your contributions are essential to the Tour’s success.
Registration & Submission Requirements
Registration is open between January 1, 2026, and midnight on April 30, 2026. There is no late registration.
Each artist must complete the web-based registration form and upload 1–4 portrait-oriented images of their work and an optional video of their studio/work/themselves/process. Please name files: LastName_FirstName.jpg. Mark your featured image as FEATURED.
TIP: Tell visitors what they’ll experience in your artist bio/statement. Your studio listing is how visitors choose where to go. Help them understand why your studio is a must-see stop! Describe what you will be showing, creating, or demonstrating during the Tour. Your narrative should reflect what visitors will actually experience when they arrive.This helps visitors find the studios that match their interests, and ensures their time is spent with active, engaged artists.
Artists will be listed on the Tour webpage in chronological order of registration. Register early to secure a higher spot and maximize your visibility.
Participation Fees
A participation fee is due upon registration, no later than April 30, 2025: Solo studio (1 working artist): $200 | Shared studio: $100 per artist, regardless of the number of participating artists. Each artist needs to register individually.
Artist collectives, galleries and other organizations, or shared studios with 6 or more artists - please contact us for a group rate and to register.
We want this tour to be as inclusive as possible. If the fee presents a financial challenge, please let us know. Reduced-fee spots are available to ensure everyone can participate. Feel free to reach out directly and we’ll be happy to discuss options confidentially.
Given the nature of organizing this event and printed materials, there are no refunds after April 30, 2026. If you need to drop out, please email us as soon as possible so that we can remove your studio from website and map.
Studio & Artwork Requirements
Studios should be clean, safe, and clearly marked for visitors. Please identify any accessibility considerations in your registration.
All work included in the Tour should be original art created by the participating artist. While we love the many creative offerings in town, this event isn’t designed for resale, thrift, or vintage items.
Studios must be located in East Jefferson County.
Sales, Taxes & Insurance
Raw Art Collective takes 0 commissions on sales.
Artists are responsible for collecting and remitting taxes to the appropriate city, county, state, and federal agencies.
Raw Art Collective does not provide insurance for participants. Artists should confirm coverage under their homeowner’s policies or purchase event-specific policies as needed.
Tour Hours & Presence
Artists’ studios must be open during all posted Tour hours (based on their selected days), and artists are expected to be present unless extraordinary circumstances arise.
Promotion & Marketing
Artists are responsible for promoting their own studios (e.g. newsletters, emails, flyers, word of mouth, social media), and in doing so, help promote the Tour overall.
Follow Social Media Accounts for Tour Updates and Promotion: Instagram: @therawartcollective and @ptartiststudiotour Facebook: Port Townsend Artist Studio Tour and hashtag #ptstudiotour.
What’s Included with Participation
Registration & Participation Options
Streamlined Artist Studio Tour registration and payment.
New flexible scheduling: choose all 3 days (Friday–Sunday) or 2 days (Fri–Sat or Sat–Sun).
Support for reduced-fee participation to promote inclusivity.
Artist Visibility & Online Presence
A dedicated webpage featuring your work:
Dedicated artist weblink
1 featured image and up to 4 images and a video, and artist bio
Studio and email addresses
Website and social media links
Google map at your studio location
Increased visibility through a coordinated Tour marketing campaign.
Marketing & Promotion
Inclusion in the Tour map, downloadable brochure, and printed flyers.
Tour-wide social media promotions and coordinated press outreach.
Regional event calendar listings and community-wide flyer distribution.
Tour billboard displayed the week leading up to the event.
Visitor engagement activities, including a prize drawing to encourage attendance at studios.
Two+ directional PT Artist Studio Tour street signs for your studio.
Community, Connection & Professional Opportunities
Engage directly with visitors: share your studio, story, work, and creative process.
Build community connections and future opportunities with collectors, collaborators, curators, and other artists.
Opportunities for art sales during and after the Tour.
Exposure that can lead to:
o Future art sales and commissions
o Invitations to exhibit at local or regional galleries
o Opportunities for gallery representation
o Artist residencies and creative collaborations
OUR SUPPORTERS
The Port Townsend Artist Studio Tour deeply appreciates the supporters, sponsors, and volunteers who make this annual community event possible, connecting artists with patrons in meaningful ways.
Support the Tour! Feature your local business on the Artist Studio Tour Map & Web Page. Email info@rawartcollective.org for opportunities.
Interested in volunteering? We'd love your help! Please be in touch and let us know how you can support the effort (e.g. visitor engagement, tour promotion, sponsorship ambassador).
THANK YOU AND WELCOME!
We’re excited to have you as part of this vibrant, volunteer-driven community event. Let’s make the 21st Annual Port Townsend Artist Studio Tour the most fun Tour yet!
QUESTIONS?
Contact us at info@rawartcollective.org
