The 2024 Open Studios Art Tour, a program of the San Luis Obispo County Arts Council, is scheduled two weekends, October 12-13 and 19-20, with more than 150 artists and crafters participating from throughout SLO County. A Preview Show is taking place at EDNA Contemporary in San Luis Obispo during the month of October, with an Opening Reception scheduled at the gallery on Friday, October 4 from 5 to 9 p.m. All events are free and open to the public.
Ask the question “Why support local art?” and you’ll hear many different answers—from national arts organizations, local business owners, public officials, art lovers, and artists themselves. Their answers provide an illuminating look at what makes the SLO County arts and culture scene so rewarding.
You’ll hear about investing in collective well-being, nurturing creativity, fostering engagement, driving economic growth. But at the heart of the matter, supporting local art and artists is a personal commitment that connects us all to our community in a fundamental way that few other activities can match.
So, in the spirit of the 2024 Open Studios Art Tour—which gives everyone visiting or living on the Central Coast the opportunity to experience, purchase, and appreciate local art—here goes.
It’s good for the community
Making, buying, and enjoying art cultivates a shared sense of identity, culture, and well-being. We often see ourselves in locally-made art, which helps create a sense of place, a sense of respect, and a sense of belonging.
Steve Bland, co-owner of SLO Provisions, a restaurant that participates in monthly Art After Dark events and displays local artwork on its walls, says he sees his customers “interacting with one another discussing the art on display and also chatting about what other places they plan to visit.
“On a personal note,” he adds, “The day we moved here over 20 years ago happened to be on a first Friday and we attended Art After Dark. I met people that night who are still friends.”
Local artists often have a true passion for making their communities a better place to live through their artwork. “Artists and their work are important pieces that can mark time and specific events, mimic places you love or even spark an idea that was hidden deep within you,” says Missy Reitner-Cameron, owner of The Bunker in SLO.
Sheryl Chesnut, who owns EDNA Contemporary in SLO, believes art makes us vibrant. “By supporting artists who live here we encourage diversity, creativity, and growth, and we build the connections which bind us together as a whole. Although SLO County has grown, we are still connected to each other with very few degrees of separation. That sense of community tends to ‘spiral out’—kindness begets kindness.”
It’s good for the economy
Art has a documented impact on the local economy. Americans for the Arts has estimated that arts and cultural activities generate at least $27 million annually for SLO County. Arts organizations employ people locally while attracting tourism, and artists purchase goods and services locally.
“Art is a business like any other,” according to Paso Robles city librarian Eric Lashley, who works on community engagement projects. “If you’re buying local art, that circulates dollars in the community.”
The Project for Public Spaces says alliances between art and business attract thousands of visitors and locals alike, and notes that two-thirds of tourists seek cultural activities.
Local artists can inspire local businesses to think outside of the box for ways to increase their profits. Bland says that’s true. SLO Provisions recently hosted the artist Paula DeLay and the writer Sky Bergman. “Paula sold her artwork and Sky sold her new book. And we had a full house of people buying food and drinks.”
It’s good for our creative neighbors and our kids
Supporting local artists encourages their creativity and exploration. “But they have to eat just like everyone else,” Lashley says. “It’s a tough business, and if they are good they can make a living doing what they love.”
Julie Dunn, who owns Park Street Gallery in Paso Robles, points to Open Studios as a good opportunity for artists to share their work with the public. “The beauty of Open Studios is that artists just starting out can participate. They need to get their art out there.”
Artists of all levels inspire younger generations of creatives, and they are the ones who teach our children about art in school. Studies show students engaged in arts learning have higher GPAs, standardized test scores, and college-going rates—as well as lower drop-out rates.
“Local artists tend to give back to youth and underserved populations,” Chesnut says.
It’s good for you
Four out of five people surveyed by Americans for the Arts say the arts are a “positive experience in a troubled world,” and more than two-thirds believe that the arts “lift me up beyond everyday experiences.” Lashley grew up in a family that valued art. “It beautifies your home, makes you happy, makes good memories,” he says. “It’s a good thing for your soul.”
Buying art with a local connection can give you a pride of place that can then be shared with others. You get a personal connection to the artist and ownership in their achievements. “Meeting a local artist, asking them questions, finding out about their process—you’ll remember that,” Lashley says.
“The whole experience for all involved is a sale, the discovery, the excitement, the choice, the commitment, the wait until the show is over, the hanging, the years of potential enjoyment,” according to Charles Smith, owner of Cruise Control Gallery in Cambria. “This is truly a belief in the future. By collecting you are betting that tomorrow exists. And so much more.”
Reitner-Cameron says owning art makes her home and work environments feel like her own. “There is nothing I love more than surrounding myself with creativity, beauty, controversy and inspiration.
“Owning art brings joy to the creator and the new owner,” she says. “Why wouldn’t you want to be a part of that cycle?”
A version of this article appears in the 2024 Open Studios Art Tour catalog, available for free at the following locations:
- Art Center Morro Bay | 835 Main Street, Morro Bay
- Art Central | 1329 Monterey Street, San Luis Obispo
- EDNA Contemporary | 967 Osos Street, San Luis Obispo
- Clark Center for the Performing Arts | 487 Fair Oaks Avenue, Arroyo Grande
- DANA Adobe and Cultural Center | 671 S Oak Glen Avenue, Nipomo
- Studios on the Park | 1130 Pine Street, Paso Robles