Yale affiliates among the many visual artists showing their work in CWOS

October is the month of color, and it’s not just because of the fall foliage. It’s also the month that artists — many of them Yale affiliates — open the doors to their private studios or exhibit their work in public spaces to showcase their creative talents and talk about their artistic processes in media as varied as ceramics, photography, painting, sculpture, textile arts, and more in City-wide Open Studios (CWOS).

The annual celebration of contemporary visual arts, hosted by Artspace, takes place on four weekends throughout the month in various parts of the city. More than 350 artists, including Yale staff members, faculty, and alumni, participate in the event, which is one of the largest open studio programs in the country. Yale is one of the cosponsors of CWOS, which draws thousands of visitors to New Haven neighborhoods. (Just some of artists connected to Yale are featured in the above slideshow; see the related article on Yale-affiliated artist Katherine Malensek.)

This year, CWOS is celebrating its 20th year. Each year, Artspace selects a theme for the event, inviting artists to explore that particular topic in their ongoing work, commissioned pieces, or special projects such as site-specific installations. This year’s theme is “fRact/fiction,” which explores the dissemination of “facts” in the news and on social media and asks: What do we do when we know we are being lied to?

CWOS events include the following, all of which are free and open to the public (a $5 donation is appreciated at all exhibition spaces):

Oct. 6, Opening reception — Works by each of the CWOS participating arts will be on view at Artspace, 50 Orange St., and many of the artists are in attendance to talk about their creations. The reception takes places 5-8 p.m. An official map and guide for CWOS, covering all four weekends, will be available. Special events in conjunction with the reception include “Noodles on 9” (local restaurants will offer noodle dishes on Orange Street and throughout Ninth Square); “Neo-American Pre-Teen Day Dream” (a passive performance during the opening by John O’Donnell, offering a sneak peak of his installation at the Armory later in the month); and “Xperimental Libations” (a performative art project by Elaboratory involving the senses and sciences, both fake and real). An after-party will take place at Café 9, 250 State St., which will serve as an opening reception for artist Katro and will feature a live performance by the George Baker Band.

Oct. 7 & 8, Westville Weekend — Artists working in private or shared studio spaces in the Westville neighborhood will show their works from noon to 6 p.m. Special events will also take place during the weekend.

Oct. 14 & 15, Armory Weekend — For the fifth consecutive year, a large group of artists will gather in the vacant Goffe Street Armory, a colonial armory rich in New Haven history, to show their works from noon to 6 p.m. Special projects and commissioned pieces will also be a feature of the weekend. The Armory is located at 290 Goffe St.

Oct. 21 & 22, Private Studio Weekend — Artists working in private studios throughout New Haven, West Haven, Hamden, and North Haven will open their doors to visitors. Artspace will offer guided bike tours to many of the studio locations.

Oct. 28 & 29, Erector Square Weekend — Artists in studios in Erector Square, an artistic hub in the Fair Haven neighborhood that once housed an Erector Set factory, invite guests into their personal studio spaces at 315 Peck St.

A full list of participating artists and more information about these and other  special events can be found on the  CWOS website. 

Artspace is currently celebrating its 30th year. Among other activities, it seeks to connect contemporary artists, audiences, and resources, and to enrich art experiences in the city and beyond.