Fall Open Studios 2025 will showcase a wide variety of artists including abstract, figurative and landscape painters, printmakers, sculptors, photographers, mixed media artists, and more.
30 artists in Benicia's Historic Arsenal will display their work in their studios and at IronHorse Furnishings. All the locations are walking distance to one another in buildings that are part of a U.S. Army Arsenal complex, founded in the 1850s. Visitors can park their car one time and find dozens of studios as they wander through the historic buildings.
Today, the Arsenal, overlooking the scenic Carquinez Strait, is still filled with 1850s buildings including the ornate headquarters building, the elegant commanding officers mansion, other residential quarters and more. And most importantly, the buildings are filled with artists' studios.
Benicia, one of the earliest cities in California, has long been known as an artist community. The Arsenal especially has been attracting artists for decades because of large, affordable studio spaces as well as proximity to art colleges and universities and major exhibition galleries stretching from San Francisco to Sacramento. Over the years, internationally known artists such as Robert Arneson, Manuel Neri, and Judy Chicago established studios in Benicia.
Benicia's Open Studios were launched in the 1970s, first organized by the city's well-known glass artists. The event is now organized by the Benicia Arsenal Artists, a collective of emerging and established artists, who work in the historic space.
Studios can be found throughout the Arsenal, along Tyler Street in the 940 Building, the 991 Building, Storehouse 88, Lincoln and Grant streets. Guest artists are showing at IronHorse Home Furnishings on Grant Street. Maps are available at all locations.
Saturday Nov 1 & Sunday Nov 2, 10am-5pm
Free to attend
