Pressroom
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Scotto Mycklebust, 917 697-0962, scotto@scottomycklebust.com
West Chelsea Artists Open Studios 2026 Returns — Inviting Artists to Participate and the Public to Experience NYC’s Premier Artists’ Studios Tour
New York, NY. April 1, 2026 — The West Chelsea Artists Open Studios announces its 2026 Call for Artists, inviting painters, sculptors, photographers, and multidisciplinary artists to participate in one of New York City’s most dynamic and direct engagements between artists and the public.
Taking place Saturday and Sunday, May 16–17, 2026, from 12:00 to 6:00 PM, with a Preview Exhibition Opening Reception on Friday, May 15 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, the event will open studios throughout the West Chelsea arts district—offering rare access inside the working environments of contemporary artists.
At the same time, the event stands as a major public-facing cultural moment, welcoming collectors, curators, and the broader public to experience art where it is created.
CALL FOR ARTISTS — NOW OPEN
Artists working in West Chelsea are invited to open their studios and present current work to a wide audience of art professionals and the public.
Participation offers:
• Direct engagement with collectors and curators
• Opportunity to sell work directly from the studio
• Visibility within New York’s peak spring art season
• Inclusion in event listings, maps, and promotional outreach
Sign-Up Opens: Wednesday, April 1, 2026
Participation information at www.westchelseaartists.com
A RARE PUBLIC EXPERIENCE INSIDE NYC ARTISTS’ STUDIOS
The West Chelsea Artists Open Studios offers a unique opportunity for the public to step inside the creative spaces that define one of the world’s leading contemporary art districts.
Visitors will:
• Meet artists in their working studios
• Experience works in progress and newly completed pieces
• Engage in direct conversation about artistic process and ideas
• Purchase artworks directly from artists, without gallery markup
Set within the internationally recognized West Chelsea art gallery district, the event coincides with New York’s spring art season, when art fairs, galleries, and collectors converge on the neighborhood—making it a key cultural destination for the city.
A COMMUNITY-DRIVEN ART EVENT
Organized by artist Scotto Mycklebust, and the Public Art Squad Projects, the West Chelsea Artists Open Studios reflects the strength and diversity of the artist community that continues to shape the identity of West Chelsea as a global center for contemporary art.
“This event creates a rare opportunity— a direct bridge between artists and the public, ”says Mycklebust.“ It opens the studio door—literally—and invites people into the process, the conversation, and the experience of art as it’s being made.”
EVENT DETAILS
West Chelsea Artists Open Studios 2026
Dates: Saturday–Sunday, May 16–17, 2026
Hours: 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Location: WCAOS Information Center
West Chelsea Building, 526 West 26th Street, Lobby
Preview Exhibition: Saturday–Sunday, May 16–17, 2026
Opening Reception: Friday, May 15, 2026, 6:00–8:00 PM
Location: West Chelsea Building, Gallery 202
West Chelsea Building, 508-516 West 26th Street, 2nd floor
MEDIA CONTACT: Scotto Mycklebust: scotto@scottomycklebust.com, 917 697-0962
For more information, visit West Chelsea Artists Open Studios at www.westchelseaartists.com.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Scotto Mycklebust, 917 697-0962, scotto@scottomycklebust.com
WEST CHELSEA ARTISTS OPEN STUDIOS FRIEZE NYC EDITION CELEBRATES 15 YEARS
Public Invited Inside New York’s Premier Artist Studios, May 15–17, 2026
New York, NY. April 12, 2026 — The West Chelsea artist’s community opens its doors to the public for the 15th Annual West Chelsea Artists Open Studios, taking place Friday, May 15 through Sunday, May 17, 2026, in the heart of New York City’s West Chelsea art gallery district.
The West Chelsea Artists Open Studios 2026 Frieze NYC Edition invites the public into the private working studios of artists, offering a rare, direct encounter with the creative process in one of the world’s leading contemporary art centers.
The weekend begins with an Artists’ Preview Exhibition Reception on Friday, May 15, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, followed by Open Studios on Saturday and Sunday, May 16–17, from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM. The Preview Exhibition will be on view throughout the weekend at Gallery 202, West Chelsea Building, 526 West 26th Street 2nd floor.
Visitors begin the self-guided tour at the West Chelsea Building Information Center Lobby, 508–526 West 26th Street, where maps and event information will be available.
Free and open to the public, the event provides a unique opportunity to meet artists in their studios, experience works in progress and engage in conversations about contemporary art practices. Visitors can also purchase artwork directly from the artists—without a gallery markup.
Founded in 2011, the West Chelsea Artists Open Studios was created to support artists by opening their creative spaces to the public and strengthening connections between artists, collectors, curators, and art lovers, the West Chelsea and New York art community.
“This event creates a direct bridge between artists and the public,” says Scotto Mycklebust, organizer of the event. “It opens the studio door—literally—and invites people into the process, the conversation, and the experience of art as it’s being made and buy direct.”
Now in its 15th year, the event continues to highlight the importance of sustaining New York’s artist communities in the city’s cultural landscape. As one of the few opportunities for the public to access working artist’s studios, the Open Studios reinforces West Chelsea’s legacy as a vital center for contemporary art.
Timed to coincide with major New York art fairs—including Frieze New York, NADA New York, Future Fair, Fridge Art Fair NYC, Independent New York, TEFAF New York, and The American Art Fair—the West Chelsea Artists Open Studios offers a complementary, insider experience, giving visitors direct access to artists and their work beyond the fair setting
WEST CHELSEA ARTISTS OPEN STUDIOS FRIEZE NYC EDITION CELEBRATES 15 YEARS
EVENT DETAILS
West Chelsea Artists Open Studios 2026
Dates: Saturday–Sunday, May 16–17, 2026
Hours: 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Location: WCAOS Information Center
West Chelsea Building, 526 West 26th Street, Lobby
Preview Exhibition: Saturday–Sunday, May 16–17, 2026
Opening Reception: Friday, May 15, 2026, 6:00–8:00 PM
Location: West Chelsea Building, Gallery 202
West Chelsea Building, 526 West 26th Street, 2nd floor
Admission: Free and open to the public
MEDIA CONTACT: Scotto Mycklebust: scotto@scottomycklebust.com, 917 697-0962
For more information, visit West Chelsea Artists Open Studios at www.westchelseaartists.com.
