Why Participate in the MKE Studio Tour?

The MKE Studio Tour connects Milwaukee-based artists and craftspeople with their neighborhoods and the broader community by inviting the public into working studios. It offers visitors an intimate look at the artistic process while elevating awareness and appreciation for fine craft.

For artists, the Tour is more than a weekend event, it's a powerful opportunity to grow your practice, expand your audience, and strengthen your professional presence.

Key Benefits for Artists

Sales & Client Relationships
Make direct, commission-free sales while building lasting connections with collectors. ​​The one-on-one nature of studio visits creates a more personal and memorable buying experience. 

A Deeper Visitor Experience
Studio visits allow people to see your process, tools, and materials firsthand. This deeper understanding often leads to stronger emotional connections to your work and increased support.

Professional Exposure & Presentation
Your studio becomes your story. Hosting gives you the chance to curate your environment, present your work in context, and communicate your artistic journey in a way that strengthens your reputation.

Community & Artist Networking
Participating in a citywide tour builds meaningful connections with fellow artists.
Consider hosting other Wisconsin Craft members to create a richer experience for visitors, draw greater interest to your location, and build meaningful relationships within our creative community.

Amplified Visibility
Through collective promotion by Wisconsin Craft and participating artists, the Tour expands your reach far beyond what you could achieve alone. It becomes not just an event, but a strategic tool for long-term career growth.

How Participation Works

Host Artists: Artist Members with a working studio in Milwaukee County are encouraged to apply as Host Artists, even if they are not planning to host additional artists. Hosts may choose to invite one or more guest artists to share their space, either indoors or outdoors, for the weekend. While this is not required, hosting others can enhance your stop and attract more visitors. (As a general guideline, guest artists should have approximately a 10’ x 10’ space, or something comparable, to make participation viable.)

Guest Artists: Artists outside Milwaukee County are welcome to apply as Guest Artists and will be placed in host locations if they have not already been invited by a host artist. Wisconsin Craft will match hosts and remaining guests after applications are reviewed.

Artist Acceptance: Our goal is to include as many Milwaukee County studios and guest artists as possible while maintaining a high standard of work. Participation is ultimately limited by the number of host studios accepted into the Tour. While the Tour is not a juried event, it is thoughtfully curated. A selection committee evaluates applications based on quality of work, presentation, and available space to ensure a strong and cohesive experience.

Upon acceptance, all participating artists pay a $175 fee to confirm their involvement in the MKE Studio Tour.

Tips for a Successful Studio Tour

Prepare Your Space
Create a welcoming, clean, and safe environment, and consider how visitors will move through your studio.

Curate with Intention
Take advantage of the freedom to show a broader range of work, including pieces in progress or process materials.

Leverage Wisconsin Craft Marketing
Wisconsin Craft supports you with:

• Printed postcards and brochures with maps

• Press outreach and media opportunities

• Social media promotion and website listings with an interactive map

• Lawn and directional signage

You can build on this by promoting through local publications, neighborhood groups, and nearby businesses.

Engage Your Visitors

• Talk about your process and inspiration

• Consider demonstrations

• Offer simple refreshments to encourage people to linger

• Collect emails to grow your mailing list

  
  

MKE STUDIO TOUR WEBSITE

A Few Quotes from 2025 Artist Participants

“The connection with each other as a team was excellent… The connection to the artists is invaluable.”

“I really appreciated the extensive marketing the WI Craft team did across the region… I was incredibly grateful for the other artists at my stop.”

“I was surprised that people who visited us wanted to talk with us. It was a very positive experience… I liked the professionalism behind promoting the event.”

“The advertising and publicity was outstanding… I felt I had the materials and support needed to reach my immediate community.”

Helpful Resources from Artwork Archive

• Preparing for an Open Studio: Tips from Professional Artists (Artwork Archive)
  

  
  

• The Art of the Open Studio (Webinar)