How to plan your Margaret River Region Open Studios adventure

From 12–27 September, Margaret River Region Open Studios sees artists throw open the doors to their studios, sheds, galleries and creative spaces across the region. It’s free, self-guided and delightfully flexible, which means the best itinerary is really the one you make yourself.

There are two types of people who explore Open Studios.

There are the planners. Event Guide annotated, studios carefully plotted, lunch strategically booked and Google Maps primed for action.

Then there are the wanderers. They spot an Open Studios sign on a country road, turn left and find themselves chatting to a ceramicist in a converted shed 10 minutes later.

The best arty adventures borrow a little from both approaches: a loose plan, a few must-sees and plenty of room for unexpected discoveries.

Cover image: Georgia Zoric in her ceramic studio

Before you start driving, do some armchair wandering.

Grab the Open Studios Event Guide and flick through the artists. Who catches your eye? Maybe you’re a ceramics person. Perhaps enormous abstract paintings are more your thing. Or you have absolutely no idea what you like, which arguably makes this even more fun.

Then head online to browse the artist profiles, where you can filter all 155 artists by medium, location and accessible studios, see more of their work and find any special directions for trickier-to-find locations.

Social media is useful too. Follow artists you’re curious about and keep an eye on Open Studios channels as the event unfolds.

But don’t fill every minute yet. A little room for serendipity is highly recommended.

Here lies the classic Open Studios rookie error: trying to see everything.

The event stretches more than 100 kilometres across the Margaret River Region, from Busselton and Dunsborough in the north to Augusta in the south. Trying to zigzag between distant studios will result in seeing considerably more dashboard than art.

Instead, choose one pocket of the region each day. Explore around Cowaramup today; head from Witchcliffe towards Rosa Brook tomorrow. Five to seven studios is a comfortable daily target, leaving time to drive, look properly and, crucially, actually talk to the artists.

Staying for three to five nights gives you even more freedom to explore different areas without turning your holiday into an endurance event.

This is still the Margaret River Region. We are not suggesting you survive on muesli bars in the name of art.

One of the joys of Open Studios is what happens between studios. Your route might take you past a winery, bakery, brewery, pub or café you’ve been meaning to try.

Pack snacks and a thermos for the road, but leave room for a long lunch or coffee stop. Spring also brings wildflowers, green countryside and plenty of reasons to pull over and admire the scenery.

Comfortable shoes are wise. So are layers. A studio visit can unexpectedly involve a beautiful garden, paddock or wander through the bush.

You’ve carefully selected your must-sees.

Excellent.

Now abandon the plan occasionally.

Those distinctive Open Studios signs appearing beside country roads are invitations to be nosy. Follow one simply because you’re nearby and see what you find.

Just keep an eye on individual opening hours. Studios generally operate between 10am and 4pm, with some offering later 12–6pm sessions, but times vary between artists.

Here’s the magic bit.

Open Studios isn’t simply about seeing finished artwork. You’re stepping into the places where it is actually made.

Ask questions.

How did they make it? What inspired it? What materials are they using? Are they formally trained or self-taught? What are they working on now?

The event includes everyone from emerging artists finding their feet to established names, and that diversity is part of its charm.

And no, walking into a studio does not mean you’re expected to buy something.

Browse. Chat. Learn. Leave empty-handed if nothing grabs you. If something does but an original isn’t in the budget, look for prints, cards and smaller pieces. Open Studios is also excellent territory for stocking the present cupboard with handmade ceramics and other small treasures.

Found something fabulous with a red dot already on it? Ask the artist about commissions.

Here’s the thing about Open Studios: a weekend sounds like plenty of time right up until you start circling artists in the Event Guide.

With studios scattered across more than 100 kilometres of the region, staying three to five nights gives you room to explore different pockets without spending your art adventure watching the scenery through a windscreen.

Private Properties offers holiday homes across the region, from secluded bush and vineyard retreats to coastal stays, making it easy to choose a base close to the studios on your hit list.

Near Margaret River, Burnside Organic Farm pairs self-contained bungalow accommodation with a working organic farm, vineyard and winery, while Tanah Marah offers rammed-earth chalets surrounded by farmland and forest, plenty of space to switch off after a day of studio hopping.

Or put yourself conveniently between Margaret River, Busselton and Dunsborough at Island Brook Estate Vineyard Chalets. Secluded chalets sit among vineyard and jarrah forest, with an onsite cellar door providing the rather excellent option of ending the day with a glass of estate-grown wine.

Wherever you land, think of your accommodation as part of the itinerary. Pick a base near the studios you want to explore first, then tackle a different pocket of the region each day.

More art, less backtracking. A masterpiece of holiday planning.