York Open Studios 2027

York Open Studios is back across the city for two weekends this April, on the 17th and 18th and again on the 24th and 25th. It's a city-wide event that opens up the working spaces of artists throughout York, and this time around it's the biggest it's ever been: over 160 artists across more than 100 pavilions.

The format is simple. You spend the weekends visiting studios and exhibitions, chatting with the artists about how they work, and picking up original pieces if something catches your eye. The pavilions run the full range, from small studios inside artists' own homes to larger commercial workshops, and they often give you a look inside spaces that aren't usually open to the public.

What you'll find covers a huge spread of styles, both traditional and contemporary. There's painting, printmaking, illustration, drawing, ceramics, glass, sculpture, jewellery, textiles, mixed media, photography and installation. Whether you're into a specific medium or just want to see what people are making, you can build your own route through the city and stop at whatever interests you.

It's free for the public to visit, so you can drop in for a single studio or spend both weekends working your way through the list. The dates are Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 April, and then Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 April.