Marin Open Studios
Marin Open Studios is a Marin County, California nonprofit that runs an annual two-weekend May Open Studios event, connecting roughly 299 local visual artists directly with collectors through studio visits, an online gallery, and a printed Tour Guide funded by registration fees, donations, and institutional sponsors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersMarin County, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Marin Open Studios does
Marin Open Studios is a private, community-based arts organization headquartered in Marin County, California that operates an annual Open Studios event each May. The event runs over two consecutive weekends (Saturday-Sunday, 11am-6pm), during which roughly 299 local artists across San Rafael, Sausalito, Corte Madera, Novato, Ross, Fairfax, San Anselmo, and Mill Valley open their studios to the public for viewing and direct-to-collector sales. The organization serves two primary user groups: visual artists working in mediums ranging from oil and watercolor to ceramics, sculpture, photography, jewelry, and digital art, and art collectors/visitors seeking direct access to local artwork without gallery commissions. Artists pay a registration fee of $335 before January 31 (which includes printed Tour Guide inclusion) or $385 for late registration, with a $60 volunteer buyout option in lieu of a four-hour minimum volunteer commitment.
The organization's core technology is a WordPress-based web platform integrating an artist portal/membership system for registration and profile management, an MOS Gallery for online artwork display (searchable by medium, style, color, and price), a studio map for both weekends, and PayPal-driven payment processing for registrations and donations. A Shared Exhibit Space Program extends participation to artists without personal studios by brokering space at partner venues such as Marin Society of Artists, Art Works Downtown, ICB Building, Marin Art & Garden Center, and Town Center Corte Madera. The business model combines one-time artist registration fees with donations via PayPal and an institutional sponsor base that includes Bank of Marin, Marin Community Foundation, Osher Marin JCC, Harbor Point Charitable Foundation, and local media partners (Marin Independent Journal, Pacific Sun). Marketing is multi-channel — website, email newsletter (Constant Contact), Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, printed Tour Guide, and earned media — with all efforts oriented around a single annual event rather than a continuous transaction flow.
Marin Open Studios firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Marin Open Studios
- Legal name
- Marin Open Studios
- Website
- https://marinopenstudios.org
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Marin Open Studios is a Marin County, California nonprofit that runs an annual two-weekend May Open Studios event, connecting roughly 299 local visual artists directly with collectors through studio visits, an online gallery, and a printed Tour Guide funded by registration fees, donations, and institutional sponsors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Marin Open Studios industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Arts Event Organization
- NAICS
- Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Consumer & Public Shows (B2C) Organizers (THAHABAC)
Keywords
Where Marin Open Studios is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Marin County
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Marin Open Studios business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Artist Registration Fees: Artists pay registration fees to participate in the Open Studios event. General registration costs $335 if signed up by January 31st (includes printed Tour Guide inclusion), or $385 for late registration after January 31st.
- Donations: Organization accepts donations through PayPal, supporting the overall operations of the Open Studios event and artist community programs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | General Registration - Early Bird |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Late Registration |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Volunteer Buyout |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Marin Open Studios product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Marin Open Studios organizes and operates an annual two-weekend open studio tour event in Marin County, California, where approximately 299 local visual artists open their studios to the public for direct art viewing and sales. The organization provides a web-based platform for artist registration, profile management, artwork display, and event promotion, along with printed Tour Guides, a Preview Gallery, and a Shared Exhibit Space Program for artists without dedicated studios. Revenue is generated through artist registration fees, donations, and sponsorships.
Product overview
Marin Open Studios is a platform-based art event organization operating a unified product centered on its annual Open Studios event. The core offering consists of the Open Studios Event (two consecutive weekends in May), supported by the Artist Portal/Membership Platform for registration and artist profile management, the MOS Gallery for online artwork展示, and the Tour Guide for visitor navigation. An add-on module, the Shared Exhibit Space Program, provides alternative studio locations for artists without dedicated spaces. The organization functions as a WordPress-based web platform with integrated payment processing for artist registrations and donations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Open Studios Event
Companies that use Marin Open Studios
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Marin Open Studios technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Marin Open Studios partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Bank of MarinminorFinancial sponsor of Marin Open Studios annual event, providing support for arts community programs.
- Marin Independent JournalminorLocal media partner providing coverage and promotional visibility for Open Studios events.
- Pacific SunminorLocal publication supporting arts coverage and event promotion.
- Marin Society of ArtistscoreVenue partner hosting group studios at 1515 Third Street, San Rafael. Available both weekends for artist participation at $75-$180 for 60-144 sq ft.
- Art Works DowntowncoreMulti-location studio complex at 1325/1331/1337 Fourth St, San Rafael hosting numerous participating artists for Open Studios.
- ICB Building ArtistscoreGroup studio complex at 480-481 Gate 5 Road, Sausalito housing multiple artists for Open Studios event.
- Marin Art & Garden CenterminorVenue at 30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, Ross hosting artists for Open Studios. Curated event posted to newsletter, eblast and social media.
- Town Center Corte MaderaminorRetail center at 100 Corte Madera Town Center hosting artist studios for both weekends at $275 per space.
- Venture PadminorCo-working space at 1020 B Street, San Rafael available both weekends for artist participation. Contact Chris Yalonis, 415-309-0331.
- Crome ArchitectureminorStudio space at 905 4th Street, San Rafael available both weekends. Contact Lauren Purcell, 415-521-5225.
- Osher Marin JCCminorCultural institution sponsor supporting the arts community.
- US Army Corps of EngineersminorFederal agency listed among sponsors, possibly supporting community arts programs.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Marin Open Studios competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- ArtSpan: Parent nonprofit of San Francisco Open Studios and a broader visual arts advocacy and event organization in the Bay Area. Overlaps with MOS in serving the same artist population but operates at a larger, multi-program scale and runs the flagship SF Open Studios event.
Emerging players
- Berkeley Art Center: Nonprofit arts organization in Berkeley, California that hosts exhibitions, artist programs, and community art events. Overlaps with MOS in promoting and selling local artists' work but operates through a fixed gallery rather than a studio tour model.
Direct peers
- East Bay Open Studios: Annual open studio tour across Alameda and Contra Costa counties with the same artist-registration, printed guide, and weekend-tour format. Comparable operating model and customer base, but serves a different Bay Area geography.
- Portland Open Studios: Annual self-guided tour of artists' studios in the Portland, Oregon metro area, with artists paying registration fees and visitors using a printed guide to tour studios. Same event-driven model and customer base, serving a different regional market.
- Sonoma County Open Studios: Operates a nearly identical annual two-weekend open studio tour in Sonoma County, California, with artists paying registration fees and visitors touring studios. Same revenue model, same customer base (visual artists and collectors), and directly comparable scale and structure to Marin Open Studios.
- Mendocino County Open Studios: Annual open studio tour across Mendocino County, California, following the same artist registration and self-guided tour model. Comparable scope, customer base, and event-driven revenue structure to Marin Open Studios.
- Sacramento Open Studios: Two-weekend annual self-guided art tour in Sacramento County organized by a nonprofit, with artists paying to participate and a printed tour guide distributed to visitors. Identical operational structure to Marin Open Studios at a larger geographic scale.
- San Francisco Open Studios: Run by ArtSpan, SF Open Studios is the largest open studio event in the country, spanning the entire month of October across San Francisco. It uses the same artist registration, website gallery, and printed tour guide model, making it the most direct functional and structural peer to Marin Open Studios.
- Santa Cruz County Open Studios: Annual two-weekend open studio tour in Santa Cruz County, California, run by a local arts nonprofit with the same artist registration, print guide, and visitor tour mechanics. Directly comparable in format and target audience.
Regional players
- Oakland Art Murmur: Coordinates Oakland's First Fridays art walk and gallery crawl, a recurring (monthly) in-person art event featuring local artists and galleries. Comparable in artist-promotion function but uses a different event format (recurring walk vs. annual tour) and serves a different Bay Area geography.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Marin Open Studios social profiles
Digital presenceMarin Open Studios financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Marin Open Studios leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Marin Open Studios funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Marin Open Studios M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Marin Open Studios
What does Marin Open Studios do?
Marin Open Studios organizes and operates an annual two-weekend open studio tour event in Marin County, California, where approximately 299 local visual artists open their studios to the public for direct art viewing and sales. The organization provides a web-based platform for artist registration, profile management, artwork display, and event promotion, along with printed Tour Guides, a Preview Gallery, and a Shared Exhibit Space Program for artists without dedicated studios. Revenue is generated through artist registration fees, donations, and sponsorships.
Is Marin Open Studios a public or private company?
Marin Open Studios is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Marin Open Studios founded?
Marin Open Studios was founded in -1. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Marin Open Studios based?
Marin Open Studios is headquartered in Marin County, United States, in the North America region.
How does Marin Open Studios make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Artist Registration Fees are the primary driver. The others are donations.
Who are Marin Open Studios's main competitors?
ArtSpan is listed as a broad incumbent. Berkeley Art Center is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are East Bay Open Studios, Portland Open Studios, Sonoma County Open Studios, Mendocino County Open Studios, Sacramento Open Studios, San Francisco Open Studios and Santa Cruz County Open Studios. Oakland Art Murmur is listed as a regional player.
Does Marin Open Studios have an API?
No public API is recorded for Marin Open Studios.
What industry is Marin Open Studios in?
Marin Open Studios's product category is Arts Event Organization. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAHABAC, Consumer & Public Shows (B2C) Organizers. Its NAICS code is 71.