Application

If you are a working artist in the Gorge (in Hood River, Wasco, Klickitat, or Skamania county) and are looking for a way to attract art lovers to your studio, educate the public on your craft, be a part of a vibrant artist community, plus showcase and sell your work — then look no further! You should apply to be an artist on the annual Gorge Artists Open Studios Tour!

Gorge Artists Open Studios Tour is an annual, self-guided tour of juried Columbia River Gorge artists' studios. The Tour, founded in 2006, provides an opportunity for the public to experience and enjoy art while meeting artists at work in their studios.

Please read the following information carefully before submitting your application.

ELIGIBILITY

Artists who can show in a working studio located in the Columbia River Gorge, from Cascade Locks to the Dalles, from Parkdale, Oregon, to Trout Lake / Goldendale, Washington, are eligible to apply. Included counties are Hood River and Wasco on the Oregon side, and Skamania and Klickitat on the Washington side. Studio location must be clearly defined at the time of application and the artist must be prepared to have their studio vetted.

Juried artists are encouraged to provide insight into working methods and procedures, as well as materials and day-to-day practices. You may showcase art in your home if this is where you work.

Artists must show their work in a working studio. The tour serves as a year-round guide to art in the Gorge, promoting artists in enduring locations. Pop-­up shows are not permitted. Exceptions may be made, at the discretion of the Gorge Artists board, for a Gorge studio artist to show at an alternate location, or for artists wishing to share a studio space. Exceptions may also be made for heritage art guilds.

  • Only applications submitted on or before the October 15, 2025 deadline will be considered.

  • The tour will be capped at 40 studios and/or 45 artists.

  • An outside juror will jury in all participating artists.

BENEFITS

  • Direct interaction with art lovers and collectors.

  • Springtime tradition, popular Tour draws patrons to the Gorge.

  • Collective advertising directed to a wide geographic area.

  • Studio promotion on Gorge Artists website and social media, year-round.

  • Studio listed in Tour guide booklet that acts as a year-round directory to art in the Gorge.

  • Opportunities to connect and build community with local creative, professional artists.

FEES

  • Application Fee: $35.

    This fee entitles your application to be juried for acceptance into the Tour. It is nonrefundable.

  • Participation Fee: Upon acceptance, $395.

    The 2026 Tour has a flat participation fee for all Tour artists. There is still an opportunity for a reduced participation fee, earned by committee work hours. It will be delivered as a refund, after completion of work and the 2026 tour. The reduced fee option will be offered to a select number of artists, based on the needs of the organization.

  • First-Timers Fee: Upon acceptance, $300.
    Gorge Artists is pleased to offer a FIRST TIMERS category. If you have never been an artist on the Gorge Artists Open Studios Tour — here is your chance to give it a go, with a reduced participation fee of $300.

DATES 

  • 2026 Tour: May 1, 2, and 3, 2026.

  • Call to Artists: Opens September 15, 2025.

  • Application Fee and Form Submission: Due by October 15, 2025. Late applications will not be accepted.

  • Jury Process: Late October, 2025.

  • Notification of Acceptance: Week of November 3, 2025.

  • Participation Fee: Upon acceptance, due by November 15, 2025.

  • Drop-out Deadline: December 30, 2025 (refund of participation fee will incur $25 for processing. Refunds are not available after December 30, 2025.)

PREPARATION

Before beginning the application, be sure to have your information and images at hand. Information includes the usual — addresses, email address, web address, important social media links, credit card information, and so on. Information also includes a short artist bio written, preferably, in first person.

Submitted images must include a studio shot, an artist portrait, and three images of your original artwork. Make sure your photos are clear and express your work in the best possible way — please note that the jurors will only have your photos to work from.

Please submit all images as high resolution jpeg files. Please do not exceed 2MB per file.

To help us improve speed and accuracy, please label each file as follows:

LAST NAME_#of image_2026.jpg.

Thank you for your interest in the 2026 Gorge Artists Open Studios Tour!