Studio Doors Wide Open: ARTSI Tour Returns for 15th Year on Shelter Island

Creativity takes center stage once again as the Artists of Shelter Island (ARTSI) celebrate the 15th Annual Open Studio Tour on Saturday, August 16, and Sunday, August 17, from noon to 5 p.m. each day.

This year’s tour features 20 participating artists — including painters, sculptors, photographers, digital artists and more — who will open their private studios to the public for a rare, behind-the-scenes look at their workspaces, processes and newest creations.

Founded in 2010 as a breakaway collective, ARTSI was created to offer an alternative to traditional gallery spaces and foster direct engagement between artists and the public. Since then, the group has grown into a vital part of Shelter Island’s cultural identity, known for its grassroots energy and diverse creative voices.

Many ARTSI members, including Tia Bowman, Sally Jacobs Baker, Roz Dimon and others exhibit in major galleries in Manhattan and beyond, but the Open Studio Tour offers something different — a personal, local, and often spontaneous connection with the artist in their creative environment.

As founding member Roz Dimon puts it, “There was a real spark with the advent of ARTSI in 2010 that put Shelter Island back on the creative map ... ARTSI erupted with an exciting, happening-now, backyard grassroots energy — and it’s done nothing but grow into its own legend ever since.”

The 15th Annual ARTSI Open Studio Tour takes place across 20 artist studios throughout Shelter Island. All studio visits are free, though there is a charge for the South Ferry from North Haven (cash only). A detailed map and full list of participating artists is available at artsi.info.