Behind the design: Ubud Open Studios Attendee Experience

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Every year we try our very best to improve attendee experience for Ubud Open Studios. How can attendees best plan their perfect route? How can they learn about what studio has to offer? How can they pick 7 studios from a list of 70?

We know the huge range of studio types, focus and locations can be overwhelming, so we try our very best to offer different ‘doors’ for attendees to step through to access the information they need. We have our Google Map, our social media itineraries and studio profiles, our online art style quiz, our printed maps, our ticket hub printed and display information, our digital catalog, our Studio Showcase, our hub staff ready to answer questions, our Whatsapp hotline, AND our Studio Stewards. Whew! Getting information should never be hard at Ubud Open Studios. Now what you do with that info on the other hand…

1/ This year we re-created/adapted our online art quiz to take a up a whole wall at the ticket hub. An opportunity to get to know yourself better and then pick studios that match your art style. This was a raging success and we had to keep refilling the art-ineraries that people could take with them when they left the hub.

2/ As always, we had our Studio Showcase, which functions as a ‘walk-through catalog’. Attendees can visit the Showcase and see a piece from each participating studio, perhaps discovering a style, artist or craft that they didn’t even know they wanted to see. Then they just had to consult their map to find the location and add to the route!

3/ Of course, sometimes the best way is the hybrid way. The online and printed maps, the catalog, and our very helpful ticket hub team helped hundreds of people during the event. Sometimes all you need is to talk to a human!

Scroll through more of the images from our ticket hub and Studio Showcase.

Behind the design: Ubud Open Studios 2025

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This year our official hero artwork for Ubud Open Studios comes from contemporary Balinese artist NPAAW.

His work is amazing, an explosion of masking tape and spray paint, resulting in square patterns, plus additional surprises. We love how it gives a nod to the traditional open-weave textiles of Bali and the poleng motif, while also being incredibly modern. The added elements of the remnants of the process reflect the mission of Ubud Open Studios to show more than the finished artwork and product.

A subtle game of closed and open, which is a perfect fit for our ‘open studios’! The rich colors and minute details also make it perfect to add interest to event announcements.

Clay and Glaze: An Ubud Open Studios off-shoot event

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This Ubud Open Studios off-shoot event featured a panel of speakers who unveiled the process behind their ceramic glazes and clays. Held at the new Guten Morgen Coffee Lab in Ubud, around 40 people turned up to hear the stories from the kiln. The three speakers included Seline Kocher from Mahteh Ceramic, Suzan Kohlik from Sari Api Ceramics and Pasthika Maya from Kevala Ceramics.

This panel delved into aspects of ceramic artistry, exploring topics such as the properties, sourcing and preparation of different types of clay for Indonesian makers. Glaze experiments, making homes for coral babies, setting up Ubud’s first high-firing studio 25 years ago, waste in the industry and what it’s like creating ceramics & running a studio in Indonesia were all covered during the discussion. Thank you to Guten Morgen for being a wonderful host and lending us your beautiful space!



What is an Open Studios event?

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An Open Studios event is an opportunity to visit the private studios (usually not open to the public) of artists and craftspeople over a few days. Participants can organize their daily schedules and explore each at their own pace, moving through the area from studio to studio. Ubud Open Studios attendees visit 5 to 7 studios in one day. It’s a rare opportunity to connect with the minds of acclaimed creators; a chance to learn and discover their approaches, processes, and ways of thinking behind their chosen artforms.

In 2024, Ubud Open Studios showcased over 50 local and international artists’ studios, inviting attendees to enter their world of creativity and craftsmanship. A journey of artistic discovery & connection offering a glimpse into the sacred spaces where art comes to life. It's about community—an opportunity to connect, converse, and collect experiences & artworks that resonate.

How to Attend a Ubud Open Studios: A Visitor's Guide

1. Plan Your Route:

- Pick up a printed map and download the special UOS Google Maps of participating studios

- Identify studios or artists you're most interested in. Take time to browse their Instagrams and any other media that has profiled them.

- Plan a route that maximizes your time and interests (e.g. the east side of town, or just the ceramic studios)

2. Prepare for the Day:

- Figure out whether you’ll hire a driver for the day or use Gojek or Grab services.

- Bring a bag for any purchases or materials

- Bring water and snacks, or make a note of where you’ll stop to refuel during the day

3. Start at the Ubud Open Studios hub (ticketing booth and Studio Showcase):

- Explore the Showcase in case you’ve missed any studios you have to visit or need inspiration

- Get last-minute updates or changes in schedules

- Ask about any special events or demonstrations

4. Pace Yourself:

- Don't try to see everything; quality over quantity

- Allow time for unexpected discoveries and conversations (whether with the studio owners or other attendees)

- Take breaks to rest and reflect

5. Engage with Artists:

- Ask questions about their work and process

- Participate in any demonstrations

- Be respectful of the artist's space and time

6. Participate in Activities:

- Join workshops if they're offered

- Try hands-on experiences to deepen your understanding

- Attend any scheduled performances or events

7. Document Your Experience:

- Take photos (where permitted) and don’t forget to tag with the UOS hashtag and studio name

- Collect business cards or brochures from artists you like to get in touch with them after the event

- Make notes about pieces or artists that inspire you

8. Support the Arts:

- Consider purchasing artwork or merch if you're able (the artists will really appreciate the support!)

- Share your experience on social media to promote the event

- Sign up for artists' newsletters for future updates

9. Explore the Ubud Local Scene:

- Visit nearby cafes or restaurants between studios

- Soak in the neighborhood's atmosphere

10. Reflect and Share:

- Discuss your experiences with other attendees

- Provide feedback to organizers

- Consider how the event has influenced your perspective on art

Remember, Open Studios events are about discovery and connection. Stay open to new experiences and enjoy the journey through Ubud's vibrant art scene!

Ubud Open Studios 2025: save the dates!

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Art friends (and fiends!), the 2025 dates for Ubud Open Studios are here.

We will be returning on May 22-25 2025 for another amazing three days of studios throwing their doors open for YOU! An art crawl like no other.

Ubud Open Studios invites art lovers, cultural explorers, and the creatively curious to our annual celebration of art in Ubud, Bali.

Discover Ubud's contemporary art scene right from artists’ studios. Imagine an art-filled scavenger hunt where every studio is a treasure trove of creativity.

In 2024, Ubud Open Studios showcased over 50 local and international artists’ studios, inviting attendees to enter their world of creativity and craftsmanship. A journey of artistic discovery & connection offering a glimpse into the sacred spaces where art comes to life. It's about community—an opportunity to connect, converse, and collect experiences & artworks that resonate.

Behind every artwork is a story, a creative process—an artist’s journey.

Behind the design: Ubud Open Studios 2024

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For the 3rd edition of Ubud Open Studios, we asked Bali-based illustrator damdampops to create a set of icons to represent all the different types of art and media found at Ubud Open Studios. The icons arrived to decorate the main hub at Titik Dua and also appeared on the official tote bag, t-shirt and catalogue.

Ubud Open Studios 2024 Wrap-up

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What an incredible edition of Ubud Open Studios. Our third and the best to date! From the Studio Showcase and Artists Talks at Titik Dua, to the 57 studios who kindly opened their doors, to the 500 attendees who made their way studio hopping around Gianyar, it was an amazing three days.

Ubud Open Studios invites art lovers, cultural explorers, and the creatively curious to our annual celebration of art in Ubud, Bali. Behind every artwork is a story, a creative process—an artist’s journey.

This year, Ubud Open Studios showcased over 50 local and international artists’ studios, inviting you to enter their world of creativity and craftsmanship. A journey of artistic discovery & connection offering a glimpse into the sacred spaces where art comes to life. It's about community—an opportunity to connect, converse, and collect experiences and artworks that resonate.

Live drawing with Urban Sketchers in Bali

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Urban Sketchers is a global community of sketchers dedicated to the practice of on-location drawing. We’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with Urban Sketchers Bali for Ubud Open Studios and also hosting a meet-up at Powder Room by Room4Dessert. The range of styles and perspectives of the members is an amazing thing to watch as they live sketch.

“for all sketchers out there who love to draw the cities where they live and visit, from the window of their homes, from a cafe, at a park, standing by a street corner… always on location, not from photos or memory.”

The Sketches from Powder Room

The sketches from Ubud Open Studios 2023

Artist Illustrated RSV Helmets for Ubud Open Studios

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One of our favorite details from Ubud Open Studios was this collaboration between our sponsor RSV Helmets and three studios joining the event.

A different RSV Helmets model was given to Aswino Aji of Sika Gallery, Sekarputi of Arta Derau and Bagus Ari Maruta of Purga Art Space, each with their wildly unique and distinctive styles. They took two weeks to paint the helmets and the final results were amazing. You could even say traffic stopping…

It's a wrap: the second edition of Ubud Open Studios!

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The 2023 Ubud Open Studios was an incredible honor to put together—70 studios over three days joined to participate in the Studio Showcase at Titik Dua; an Artist Forum including discussions ranging from what it means to be classically trained vs self-taught, to the future of digital art; and two days of studio visits by eager attendees soaking up talks, workshops, and demonstrations.

Our vision for this event was to help revitalize Ubud’s identity as a thriving community of artists, map the incredible creativity taking place in the area and strengthen ties between artists. We hope we succeeded in making that happen. Thank you to all our supporters, partners, and sponsors for helping us produce this event and bring it to life.

“I feel so incredibly fortunate to have been all over Ubud in the past 3 days visiting some amazing artists for the second annual Ubud Open Studios. Not just for the ceramics, painting, sculpture and textiles but also for the wonderful people we met along the way as we weaved through rice paddies and tiny overgrown lanes, discovering places you would never usually gain an insight into... and always welcomed with big beautiful smiles. Thank you Ubud Open Studios - see you next year!”

“It was amazing. You are all rock stars. This felt like a much-needed & exceptionally well-enjoyed event. People should fly in for this. All the art one misses from being in a metropolis exists here but it's behind closed doors, and y'all opened the floodgates. I wish I got to visit more new studios. The ones I enjoyed the most are the ones I've never visited before, a good note to self for next year! Try new things :)”

And our work here is done... Keep an eye on the Ubud Open Studios Instagram for more beautiful shots. Huge thanks to official photographers Arley Mardo, Herry Santosa (photos below), Suki Zoe, and Ade Ardhana.

71 studios joining the 2023 Ubud Open Studios event

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Ubud is such a vessel for amazing creatives and artists. This year we have over SEVENTY studios joining, up from 52 last year. We can’t wait for the doors to open. See the full lineup with links to each Instagram at Ubud Open Studios.

Ubud Open Studios 2023: our second edition!

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We’re very happy to be back in the throes of planning the second Ubud Open Studios! This time we have 70+ studios joining the event!

We will also have a special event hub at Titik Dua Hotel where we will also have a Studio Showcase, an opportunity for you to physically walk through the studio directory. Each studio will be represented by a piece so you will be able to see which studios you’d most like to visit. We have our dear friend Summa Durie lending her curatorial skills to the showcase.

This edition we’ve created one day passes and two day passes, as well as a a community sponsor if you’d like to support the event as a whole. If you’d like a printed catalog, please add that to your ticket before you check out.

A glimpse of Ubud Open Studios 2022

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Through the eyes of our talented photographers.

Thank you to Arley Mardo, Herry Santosa, Neyna Rahmadani, Shayna Pitch and Brandon Nadeau of Studio Suka.

Gallery by Arley Mardo:

Galley by Suka Studio:

Gallery by Neyna Rahmadani

Gallery by Herry Santosa:

Behind the design: Ubud Open Studios

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Ubud Open Studio participants received a printed catalog, a tote bag and a wrist band.

For the printed catalog we were so happy to be supported by the team at Fedrigoni Paper Indonesia. Fedrigoni is a 134-year-old specialty paper company from Italy. We were so happy to be able to incorporate their papers into the printed catalog. The covers were printed with a holographic foil.

For the tote bags, we worked with the team at Pithecanthropus to incorporate different pieces of batik into the tote bags.