Silicon Valley Open Studios

Connecting artists to art enthusiasts

Registration Instructions

For SVOS 2025 Artist Registration and ARTWORK Entries

Here are some helpful FAQs

  • Registration for SVOS 2025 includes participation in our Spring Open Studios, any special exhibits during the year, edutcational materials/webinars, and inclusion in our online artist gallery during the entire year. You do not need to register for each event, just once. However, you can review and update your artist information at any time. After reviewing these instructions, go to the Register/Member Login link to enter your registration information and payment.
    • Note regarding passwords: You can create your own password (as long as it meets security requirements). You must verify your email address in order to set or change your password. Please do not make a new account if you have exhibited in the last 10 years. Contact info@svos.org for help.
  • Update Artist Information:  If you have registered with SVOS at any time in the past few years, your prior information should still be available, and you will only need to bring it up to date. Be sure both your public and private contact information is current, as the public information is what will be shown to art enthusiasts in the online gallery and the private information will be used by SVOS staff to notify you of your sales, etc. Be sure to review and update your artist statement, if needed, as these will be displayed on the artist information page that will be shown to online visitors and buyers.
  • Add Your Artist Statement and Photo: Introduce yourself by telling a bit about your background and/or your motivation in art. Add a headshot, portrait, or artist at work shot of yourself. While not required, it is strongly recommended. This will be shown along with your artist statement. Follow the same rules for this as for your artwork images (below).
  • Prepare your entries:  Decide what artwork you wish to enter in your exhibit gallery. You may submit up to 6 pieces, and must submit at least one. You may specify which piece you want to be your primary image for your online and printed directory listings. If a piece is sold, you may replace it with another. You may submit additional pieces at any time up to the maximum. Prepare the following for each piece:
    1. Artwork images – jpeg/jpg files only (no HEIC or other formats), minimum 1000 pixels wide and high, file size must be less than 8 MB. Files which do not meet these requirements will not be uploaded. Images will be resized automatically to fit within the available space in the gallery (thumbnail) and on the item information page (larger version). Images do not have to be square, but thumbnails are cropped to square for the gallery, so closer to square will show better. FilenamesNote: some images may not be considered acceptable on our website, at the discretion of the board. If you have images that you are concerned may be rejected, please contact us to discuss.
    2. Title (text, one line, no special characters)
    3. Media (Painting, Sculpture, Photography, etc.) – Pick from the available list.  If there is a small number of entries in a category, it may be combined with another.
    4. Size – W x H (and depth if 3D) (round to whole inches) – for irregular items such as jewelry, use a good approximation.
    5. Description of the piece (text only, do not use special characters or formatting). Include general information about the piece, location, media employed, special techniques, framing, other sizes available (with prices), whether reproductions of the original are also available, whether shipping is available (at a cost to be agreed upon between buyer and artist) or only pickup. Note: If you need to specify any exceptions to the standard terms of sale (see below), or if you are donating a portion of the sale proceeds for this piece, be sure to note those items here in ALL CAPS to emphasize it to buyers.
    6. Special instructions: This information is not displayed to the buyer, but provides any additional information to the SVOS staff. 
  • Select your exhibit weekend(s)/location(s)
    • For an online event, or if not exhibiting in person at a physical event, select exhibiting online only and hit “Save”. No locations or weekends are necessary. Skip the rest of the Location and Hosting pages.
    • The first weekend is targeted toward Coastside and Northern Peninsula artists
    • The second weekend is targeted for the Mid-Peninsula (from Los Altos & Mountain View north)
    • The third weekend is targeted from Sunnyvale south
    • Please note: In addition to our general promotion and publicity, there will be promotion focused by geographical area for each weekend; and most artists choose to exhibit in their respective target areas to maximize visitor traffic. So we encourage artists to exhibit within the target areas for each weekend; however, artists may choose the weekend(s) and location(s) which meet their needs.
    • New Site Locations: If you are exhibiting at your own address for the first time, you can request that a site number be assigned. To avoid creating duplicate sites, only request a new site if you are certain it’s not on the list.
    • Site Assistance – If you need help finding a group site to exhibit with other artists, check the box “need help getting a site”. There is also a list of available sites under the “Find a Host” tab, and SVOS can also provide assistance on a best efforts basis, if needed. It is the artist’s responsibility to contact potential hosts to confirm their acceptance at such sites.
    • Hosting: If exhibiting at your own site, decide if you can host other artists as well. Enter the total number of artists (excluding yourself) that you can host for each weekend that you can host. This can be very beneficial for everyone, as larger sites tend to draw more visitors. Artists will contact you if they are interested in exhibiting at your site; you can decide whether you can include them.
  • After you have prepared your information, go to Register/Member Login.
  • Please note: Artist submissions and changes are posted in batches, typically weekly between December and May, monthly at other times.