Quick Links
About North East Open Studios
North East Open Studios is one of Scotland’s largest and most geographically diverse open studios events.
Every September, artists and makers across the North East of Scotland open the doors to their studios, homes and shared venues. From coastal villages to remote glens, from market towns to croft workshops, creativity comes out from behind closed doors and into the community.
Covering the area east of Inverness and north of Montrose, North East Open Studios connects rural places through culture. What might feel isolated for much of the year becomes a network of welcoming, working creative spaces for nine days each September.
Rooted in rural opportunity
Established in 2003, North East Open Studios was created to give rural artists and makers visibility, income opportunities and a stronger sense of collective identity.
Working in rural areas can be extraordinary. It can also be professionally isolating. North East Open Studios offers:
• A shared platform for independent artists and makers
• Increased footfall and direct sales opportunities
• Year round visibility through our directory and digital platforms
• A supportive peer network across a wide geographic region
• A way to build creative careers without leaving rural communities
We are passionate about making it viable to live and work creatively in the North East of Scotland. When artists thrive locally, communities benefit.
A community event, not a craft fair
North East Open Studios is not a trade show. It is not a pop up market. It is not a curated commercial fair.
It is a region wide, volunteer led cultural event that invites the public into real working spaces.
Visitors consistently tell us the most powerful part of North East Open Studios is meeting the artist or maker in person. Seeing where and how work is created. Understanding the process. Having conversations that would never happen in a conventional retail setting.
That access matters.
It builds confidence in buying original work.
It inspires young people and emerging creatives.
It strengthens local pride.
It keeps money circulating within the region.
Open to visitors. Open to possibility.
Each year, over 300 artists and makers take part. They work across disciplines including painting, ceramics, jewellery, textiles, printmaking, photography, wood, glass, heritage crafts and more.
Some open private studios.
Some collaborate in shared venues.
All commit to welcoming the public into their creative world.
Our annual book and digital directory extend beyond September. They act as a year round resource for discovering artists and makers across the North East of Scotland, encouraging commissions, workshops and repeat visits.
Volunteer led. Community driven.
North East Open Studios is operated by volunteers and run as a community organisation.
In 2020, we were honoured with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in recognition of the impact created by our members and committee.
This is not a top down institution. It is built by the artists and makers who take part, and supported by the communities who visit.
Why it matters
Rural creative practice can easily be overlooked in national conversations about culture and the economy.
North East Open Studios demonstrates, year after year, that creativity is woven into the fabric of life here. It shows that rural does not mean peripheral. It shows that high quality, ambitious, contemporary work is being made across this region.
For visitors, it is an opportunity to explore, discover and connect.
For artists and makers, it is an opportunity to build sustainable careers in the places they call home.
For the wider community, it is proof that culture belongs everywhere.
North East Open Studios takes place every September.
Plan your visit.
Discover someone new.
Step inside a creative space you might otherwise never see.