Looking for one of the most uniquely Boise things to do this fall? The 2026 Boise Open Studios Tour is back, giving you the chance to step inside the studios of 100 Treasure Valley artists, meet the people behind the work and see firsthand how art is created.
Some things just feel like Boise.
They’re local. They’re creative. They bring people together. And they give you a reason to explore a part of the Treasure Valley you might otherwise drive right past.
BOSCO—the Boise Open Studios Collective Organization—is absolutely an It’s a Boise Thing.
For two weekends this October, BOSCO is inviting the community behind the scenes for its annual Boise Open Studios Tour, a free, self-guided event that opens the doors to working artist studios throughout the Treasure Valley.
The 2026 tour takes place October 3–4 and October 10–11, with artists on the east side participating the first weekend and west-side studios opening the second. (Boise Open Studios)
Meet the Artists Where the Art Happens
This isn’t your typical art show.
Instead of seeing a finished piece hanging on a gallery wall, you get to visit the place where it actually came to life.
Walk into a painter’s studio. See the tools a sculptor uses. Discover how a ceramic artist takes an idea from clay to finished piece. Ask questions. Learn about techniques. Find out what inspires an artist—and maybe discover an original piece you can’t leave without.
The 2026 tour includes 100 participating local artists, while BOSCO itself represents more than 125 Treasure Valley artists working across painting, sculpture, photography, ceramics, printmaking, jewelry, textiles, mosaic, collage, assemblage, digital art, glass and other mediums. (Boise Open Studios)
And these studios aren’t all clustered in one place. BOSCO’s 2026 online tour map stretches across the Treasure Valley, including studios in Boise, Eagle, Meridian, Garden City, Kuna, Star and numerous Boise neighborhoods. (Boise Open Studios)
That’s part of the fun.
Pick a section of the map, grab a friend or the family and make a day of it.
More Than 20 Years of Boise Creativity
BOSCO’s roots go back to 2004, when 13 local artists came together with a simple idea: invite people into their studios and let the community experience the artistic process up close.
More than two decades later, that idea has grown into one of the Treasure Valley’s signature celebrations of local art.
BOSCO is now a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization focused on connecting artists with the community while educating the public about what it actually means to be a working artist. (Boise Open Studios)
And that’s what makes the Open Studios Tour so interesting even if you don’t consider yourself an “art person.”
You don’t need to know the difference between artistic movements or understand every technique. You can simply walk through the door and be curious.
Why This Is an
It’s a Boise Thing
Boise has changed a lot over the past two decades, but one thing that continues to define this place is the community behind it.
The artists. The makers. The musicians. The small businesses. The people who create something here and then invite the rest of us to be part of it.
BOSCO takes something that can sometimes feel intimidating—fine art—and makes it personal and accessible.
You’re not simply looking at art.
You’re meeting your neighbor who made it.
You’re standing in the room where they work.
You’re hearing the story behind the piece.
And you’re getting an opportunity to support someone creating right here in the Treasure Valley.
Yep. That’s a Boise thing.
Plan Your 2026 Boise Open Studios Tour
The 2026 Boise Open Studios Tour will be held over the first two weekends of October:
October 3–4, 2026 — East Side Studios
October 10–11, 2026 — West Side Studios
The event is free and family friendly, making it an easy addition to your list of things to do in Boise this fall.
Before heading out, use BOSCO’s online map to browse participating artists, filter by artistic medium or neighborhood, and create your own studio route. (Boise Open Studios)
With 100 artists opening their doors, you probably won’t see everything in one afternoon.
But that’s kind of the point.
Explore a little. Meet someone new. Find something unexpected. And get a closer look at the creative side of the Treasure Valley.
Because discovering the people who make Boise Boise?
That’s definitely an It’s a Boise Thing.
For artist information, tour details and the interactive 2026 map, visit Boise Open Studios.
