About The Tour

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Our annual studio tour, in its eighth year, is always on Columbus Day/Indigenous People Day weekend in mid-October. In 2026, the tour will be from 10 to 5  on Oct. 10 and 11 and 10 to 3 on Oct. 12 with a kick off reception Friday, Oct. 9 from 5 to 7 at the Essex Art Association.

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The tour, which is limited to 40 artists, includes artist studios, artist-owned galleries and other like venues in Chester, Essex and Deep River. Last year, there were 18 locations  - some of them spaces shared by two or more artists.

 

Tour participants should be established artists who regularly show their work; a website is preferred.  Sales and packaging are handled by the artists; there is no commission taken by RVA albeit it costs about $85 to $90 to be on the tour. The money covers our mailchimp account of 7300 names, payment to the artist who handles the account and its blasts as well as our website; the cost of 2000 brochures which include an image of each artist’s work, address and contact information and a good-sized map designating each location on the tour. It also covers additional advertising and rental/ insurance for Essex Art Association where seven artists show and where there is an exhibit of one or two works by all participating artists.

 

We get a good crowd of visitors – some from quite far away – and sales are healthy. The tour has also proven to be an excellent way to get your art and name better known. Participants report sales months – even a year or two later – stemming from the event.

 

Space is limited but we also want artists who haven’t participated before so if interested, please email: claudiavannes@aol.com or text or call 860-304-4954. 

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