Registration FAQ:

Who can participate? Artists at any level of their career who have a studio or exhibition space in Alameda County or Contra Costa county are invited to participate in the events. This is a non-juried event giving all visual artists in the East Bay an equal opportunity to show and sell their work to the public and to experience the event.

What type of art does EBOS focus on? Artists working in any visual medium including: painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, photography, mixed media, fiber arts, glass, metal, installation, and folk art.  Artists whose primary work falls outside these categories may also be considered, provided their practice fits within the broad definition of visual arts.

Do I have to have previous experience to participate? Artists at any level of their career are welcomed to apply. Artists have been more successful at East Bay Open Studios when their work is presented professionally. Artists at the beginning of their professional career are encouraged to apply to our pilot Emerging Artist Program.

Where should I be located? Most of our artists are located in Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda, Emeryville, Albany, and El Cerrito. While Contra Costa county artists are welcome to apply, we’ve seen higher success when there are 5 or more studios located in a city. We encourage you to invite your friends. You are also encouraged to apply for our “Space Request Program.” so you can be located in a more centrally located Community Hub.

What are artists required to provide when registering? All artists will setup an account, pay for a plan, and create their public profile. Your artist profile includes: your name, artist bio & artist statement, category of artwork, city, address, email, website, social media handles, and up to 5 artwork images (jpegs or pngs, Landscape/Horizontal Image orientation, 1080 x 720 pixels, Aspect ratio = 3:2 Rectangle) as well as accessibility information.

What does a “Featured” Registration mean? For an additional cost, you can choose the “Featured” option when registering for each event. All registration memberships include an Artist Profile on the East Bay Open Studios website (for 6 months), which is searchable by name, media, and/or location, location on digital map (mobile friendly), artist name listed on printed event marketing materials, EBOS event marketing by Oakland Art Murmur (print & digital), access to free artist professional development workshops, and invitations to community mixers. Additionally, “Featured” artists have a “Featured” banner on their Artist Profile in the Artist Directory, will receive at least one highlight on social media, and will be listed at the top of the Artist Directory with the other featured artists.

What are our Fee Waiver and Space Request programs? Our Fee Waiver and Space Request programs were created to lower barriers and increase access to our events. Our Fee Waiver Program is designed for artists where registration fee is a barrier to participation. Our Space Request Program connects artists who do not have their own studios with Community Hubs—galleries, art spaces, and community venues that offer exhibition space during EBOS. Please apply here.

Will there be a printed guide? After listening to artists feedback, we are focusing our marketing to increase public visitors to artists’ studios. This year’s guide will be an attractive brochure that helps visitors navigate 150+ artists. It will list each artist’s name and their location. This refresh is our attempt to balance the needs of the artists while focusing on the most effective marketing tools to increase visitors.  Doing this also allowed us to upgrade the website and produce more printed materials like event postcards.

East Bay Open Studios Terms and Conditions:

By registering for East Bay Open Studios, you agree to the following terms and conditions. Please read this document in full before proceeding.

1. Artwork Authenticity
   I confirm that all artwork I present and sell during East Bay Open Studios (EBOS) is my original creation and not a reproduction or forgery.

2. Registration & Fees

• Registration fees are non-refundable.

• Artists sharing a studio space must register individually.  I will not share my space with unregistered artists. Doing so may result in disqualification from future events.

3. Event Participation

• I must be open during event hours as required.

• If an emergency prevents me from participating, I will notify EBOS immediately at ebos@oaklandartmurmur.org, attempt to find coverage, and update my hours on social media.

4. Compliance & Responsibility

• I will adhere to all applicable city, county, and state regulations.

• If represented by a gallery, I am solely responsible for abiding by my agreements with them. EBOS and Oakland Art Murmur are not liable for any related disputes.

5. Liability & Indemnification

• I release and hold harmless EBOS, Oakland Art Murmur, and their affiliates from any claims, liabilities, losses, or expenses related to my participation.

6. Marketing & Promotion

• EBOS may edit my directory listing for consistency with event details and website formatting.

• By submitting images, I grant EBOS permission to use them for promotional purposes.

• EBOS promotes the event but does not guarantee visitor turnout.

• I am responsible for marketing my participation through my own channels.

7. Directory Updates

• Any updates to my directory listing must be submitted by the registration close date.

8. Policy Updates

• These terms and conditions may be updated at any time without notice.

By submitting my artist profile, I acknowledge and agree to these terms.