Photo: artsgowanus.org
An annual weekend when hundreds of artists across Gowanus open their studios to the public. Families can wander between workshops and makerspaces, meet artists and see work in progress, with some venues offering hands-on activities.
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2026 edition Oct 17–18
Free and open to the public
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All ages.
Free and open to the public
2026 edition Oct 17–18
Studios throughout Gowanus, 11215, Brooklyn.
A free outdoor photography festival that sets up exhibitions in public spaces, with its main hub in Brooklyn Bridge Park. Kids can walk through open-air photo installations, and outdoor displays also appear in other boroughs through the year.
A nonprofit gallery in a former DUMBO industrial building that shows large-scale work by emerging and mid-career artists, free of charge. Its Art Ready program offers free art mentorship for NYC public school students.
A seasonal arts center on Governors Island where resident artists work in open studios and exhibitions fill the galleries. Families can drop into free hands-on art-making workshops led by visiting artists.
A Lower East Side arts center with free contemporary art galleries, theaters and studios, run by Henry Street Settlement. Families can visit exhibitions and attend performances and community arts events.
A residency for international artists in a converted East Williamsburg factory with two galleries and dozens of studios. Exhibitions and events are free, and the program opens artists' studios to the public during its open studios events.
A nonprofit gallery and performance space near the Long Island City waterfront hosting exhibitions, live music and theater, many of them free. Its Culture Lab for Kids programming includes music-movement-and-craft sessions for young children.