Home Art and culture 25+ artist studio tours in and around Ottawa

25+ artist studio tours in and around Ottawa

by Laura Byrne Paquet
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If shopping for pottery, paintings, textiles, photographs, garden art or other artworks and crafts is your idea of a perfect weekend, you’re spoiled for choice: there are so many studio tours within easy reach of Ottawa that you’ll need several seasons to explore them all.

These self-driving weekends have become so popular that several of them now run on multiple weekends, or have several editions a year. That’s great news for everyone: travellers have more opportunities to visit the studios, and artists and artisans—who often move to rural regions for the inspiring surroundings and affordable rents, but find themselves far from large concentrations of potential buyers—get a chance to make lots of sales.

This list of studio tours is by no means complete, but it will give you a taste of what’s out there. I hope it inspires some creative touring!

Do you know of a tour I missed? Let me know!

Cover photo by Elena Mozhvilo on Unsplash.

artist studio tours from ottawa. photo credit: ontario tourism marketing partnership corporation.
Local artist Laura Jean Starkey at the easel. Photo courtesy of the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation.

Spring artist studio tours

April 1–2, 2023

May 27–28, 2023

June 3–4, 2023

June 23–25, 2023

Summer artist studio tours

July 1–2, 2023

July 1–9, 2023

July 15–16, 2023

July 15–23, 2023

August 5–6, 2023

August 12–13 and August 19–20, 2023

artist studio tours from ottawa. photo credit: ontario tourism marketing partnership corporation.
Photo courtesy of the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation.

September 2–3, 2023

September 2–4, 2023

September 9–10, 2023

Fall artist studio tours

September 16–17, 2023

September 22–24, 2023

September 23–24, 2023

September 30–October 1, 2023

October 7–8, 2023

October 14–15, 2023

Looking for more tips on things to see and do in Eastern Ontario, the Outaouais, northern New York state and beyond? Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter or pick up a copy of my book, Ottawa Road Trips: Your Weekend Getaway Guide, from which this post is adapted.

As the owner of Ottawa Road Trips, I acknowledge that I live on, work in and travel through the unceded, unsurrendered territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg Nation. I am grateful to have the opportunity to be present on this land. Ottawa Road Trips supports Water First, a non-profit organization that helps address water challenges in Indigenous communities in Canada through education, training and meaningful collaboration.

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17 comments

Carole Gauthier September 21, 2015 - 11:49 am

Hello,
I understand that you can’t advertive an event if you were’nt notified but this comming week-end: September 26 & 27, Prescott-Russell will host Artour an art and studio tour.
Their website: http://www.artour.ca

Thank you

Reply
Carole Gauthier September 21, 2015 - 11:49 am

Hello,
I understand that you can’t advertise an event if you were’nt notified but this comming week-end: September 26 & 27, Prescott-Russell will host Artour, an art and studio tour.
Their website: http://www.artour.ca

Thank you

Reply
Laura Byrne Paquet September 21, 2015 - 11:50 am

Thanks for the info, Carole! I will update the post and add the event to my roundup of things to do this weekend, which will be posted tonight or tomorrow.

Reply
Sharon Benson March 8, 2017 - 6:52 pm

To my knowledge, the Westport Studio Tour will not happen in 2017. I am an artist in that group.

Sharon Benson

Reply
Laura Byrne Paquet March 9, 2017 - 7:35 am

Thanks, Sharon. Sorry to hear it won’t happen this year. I’ve updated the post.

Reply
Carrie Keller March 8, 2017 - 8:32 pm

Could you please note Winchester’s Spring Makeover Madness on facebook. Its a great event that is a contrast for a complete makeover, head to toe put on by Winchester businesses. Just buy $5 or more at the participating businesses and fill out a ballot nominating yourself our anyone. Contest ends 28th April. If you need more info contact me.

Reply
Laura Byrne Paquet March 9, 2017 - 7:34 am

Thanks, Carrie! Do you have a website I could link to that readers could check for more information?

Reply
Laura Byrne Paquet March 9, 2017 - 7:32 am

Thanks so much, Sharon! I had KAST in the list, but they are taking a break in 2017, so I’ve kept the address on file for when I update the post in 2018. I will check out the others!

Reply
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