COLUMBUS, Ohio — The fourth-annual Columbus Open Studio & Stage (COSS) event will take place Sept. 14-15. Presented by the Greater Columbus Arts Council and Art Makes Columbus, COSS invites the public to a self-guided tour of 45 different Columbus artists at 18 locations, enjoy behind the scenes experiences at seven local performance spaces and organizations, and explore eight community arts partners.
“Columbus Open Studio & Stage has been embraced by the community, with more than 8,000 studio visits and $65,875 in art sales in the first three years,” said Jami Goldstein, vice president of marketing, communications and events at the Greater Columbus Arts Council. “We’re excited to again offer the opportunity to meet our incredibly talented artists’ face-to-face, explore their creative spaces and see behind the scenes of the artists’ creative process. Columbus’ artists and arts organizations are a vital part of the city’s cultural fabric.”
To participate, the public can order a map and preview this year’s artists online at columbusopenstudioandstage.com. Maps are now available for pick up at most of the community partner sites, and will serve as each participant’s pass for admission into participating studios. Participants will also be able to download an app for their smartphones with a complete map of COSS sites; a receipt or a physical map will still be required for entry. Registered participants will also be invited to sign-up for timed group tours at seven Columbus performance venues.
Many artists will include demos in their studios, and community arts partners will be open to the public (no COSS ticket required) to host demos or hands-on activities. Tours are self-guided, as participants use the map to choose their destinations throughout the weekend.
Artists showing their studios include: Christine D’Epiro Abbott, Amy Adams, Alexandra Anthony, Mary Barczak, John Bolzenius, Richard ‘Duarte’ Brown, Karen Albanese Campbell, Cee, Maureen Clark, Jacci Delaney, Donna Estep, David Scott Everhart, ¡Katie B Funk!, Lisa Godfrey, Dana Grubbe, Heidi Heacock, Beth Himsworth, Rebecca Jadway, Susie Jordan, Andrea Kaiser, Linda Langhorst, Gail Larned, Karen LaValley, Richard Limes, Eric Marlow, Cory Mitan, Jurate Phillips, Katya Philmore, Samantha Pitts, Tammi Rager, Todd Rector, Colleen Rosshirt, Judy Rush, Laurie Schmidt, Allison Sponhaltz, Anne Spurgeon, Melinda Staley, Melanie Stanley, Angela Stiftar, Jerry Strine, Chris Tennant, Michael Thomas, Kendric Tonn, Flux White and Charles Wince.
Visitors can get to know select participating artists’ work prior to the studio tour by visiting a special exhibition, My [Creative] Space, at the Carnegie Gallery in the Columbus Metropolitan Library main branch from Aug. 29 through Oct. 18. An opening reception will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 19. The COSS catalog, with artist bios and statements, is available here.
The event includes scheduled, guided behind-the-scenes tours at the following venues: CD102.5 Big Room, Southern Theatre, Columbus Museum of Art, Franklinton Playhouse, Shadowbox Live, the Short North Stage’s Garden Theatre and Wexner Center for the Arts.
Additional community arts partners include the Cultural Arts Center, Guitar House Workshop, Glass Axis, Phoenix Rising Printmaking Cooperative, Studios on High, TRANSIT ARTS and Wild Goose Creative.
Select restaurants are offering special deals for COSS map-holders: Lineage Brewing, A Common Table, Strongwater Food & Spirits, Yellow Brick Pizza, Due Amici, Pecan Penny’s BBQ, The Walrus, and The Olde Towne Tavern. See all participating restaurants and offers here.
Columbus Open Studio & Stage will take place throughout the city on Sept. 14 and 15 from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Maps can be purchased on columbusopenstudioandstage.com. Maps are $10 for one, $18 for two or $35 for four. Kids 12 and under are free. For more information visit columbusopenstudioandstage.com.
COSS is produced by the Greater Columbus Arts Council as part of the Art Makes Columbus/Columbus Makes Art initiative. Sponsors include Crane Group and CityScene Media Group. Columbus Open Studio & Stage was founded by Columbus-based artists Amy Leibrand, Lisa McLymont, Stephanie Rond and Catherine Bell Smith.
The Art Makes Columbus/Columbus Makes Art campaign is a city-wide, collaborative marketing effort designed to highlight the incredible talent of central Ohio artists. It is supported by: American Electric Power, Cardinal Health, ENGIE, the Greater Columbus Arts Council, PNC, and The Sol Morton and Dorothy Isaac, Rebecca J. Wickersham and Lewis K. Osborne funds of The Columbus Foundation. Major media sponsors include the Dispatch Media Group, ABC6/FOX28 and CD102.5. columbusmakesart.com
Mission of the Greater Columbus Arts Council: To support and advance the arts and cultural fabric of Columbus. www.gcac.org
# # #
CONTACT: Jami Goldstein
(614) 221-8492
jgoldstein@gcac.org
