The Guelph Studio Tour welcomed art lovers, collectors, and community members for a vibrant weekend of creativity and inspiration. For the past forty years the tour has been held the weekend following Thanksgiving and has become a cornerstone event in Guelph’s cultural calendar.
The tour has grown over the years and this year was no exception. Over forty juried local artists opened their studio doors to the public offering a rare opportunity to get a glimpse inside working artist’s studios throughout the city. Participating artists work in a variety of mediums ranging from painters and printmakers to ceramicists and sculptures, which made the tour an incredible opportunity to experience the diversity and talent within the arts scene Guelph is known for.
The tour was self guided with maps available on the Guelph Studio Tour website and plenty of physical copies available at studio locations. The tour was organized into four zones, with studios located across the city, which made navigating incredibly easy. It was fascinating to see the variety of studio spaces. Some were more traditional white-walled studios, others were in shared spaces, and some were home studios.
I started my journey in Zone 3 at Clive Lewis’ home print studio where I was shown some of his engraving processes and even got to see a live demonstration. Afterwards I made my way to Zone 2 where lots of stops on the tour were located, many of which were all within walking distance of each other.
I met the Guelph Studio Tour President, Tiffany Horrocks, who has a studio located in the Alleyway Studios. When asked about the tour from an organizer’s perspective Tiffany shared that “Guelph Studio Tour is an amazing collective of individuals and as the President it has been my privilege to represent this diverse and talented group of artists.”
Many of the artists I visited over the weekend mentioned how strong the turnout was this year, with many engaged and curious visitors coming through their doors. Beyond being a fantastic event for the public to discover local art, the Guelph Studio Tour is also a valuable experience for artists themselves. It offered a chance to connect with fellow creatives, exchange ideas, and see firsthand how other artists set up and work in their studios. Whether you were an art enthusiast, collector, or working artist, the Guelph Studio Tour offered a meaningful way to engage with the local arts community.
