Ellis House Open Studios 2026 opens the doors to a day of art and discovery
From 10:00 to 16:00, visitors can move through the studios of 20 participating artists, encounter works in progress, see finished pieces and speak directly with the people behind them. Away from the formal arrangement of a gallery exhibition, the open-studio format offers a different way of experiencing art.
By CityLife Arts Writer
On Saturday, 31 October, Ellis House Art Building will open its doors for Ellis House Open Studios 2026, inviting the public to spend a day among the artists, ideas and working spaces that make up its creative community.
From 10:00 to 16:00, visitors can move through the studios of 20 participating artists, encounter works in progress, see finished pieces and speak directly with the people behind them. Away from the formal arrangement of a gallery exhibition, the open-studio format offers a different way of experiencing art. There is the work itself, but also the studio around it, the materials, the decisions, the experiments and the conversations that help bring an idea into being.
Throughout the day, visitors will have the opportunity to attend artist talks and live demonstrations, offering a closer look at individual practices and the processes involved in making art. For those interested in collecting, the event will also provide an opportunity to discover and acquire works directly from the artists.
Group exhibitions, presented in collaboration with Ellis House Gallery, will extend the experience beyond the individual studios, bringing different practices into conversation. Visitors can take their time moving between the spaces, discover artists whose work they may not know and hear the stories and thinking behind what they encounter. The programme is designed to encourage the kind of engagement that can be difficult to find when art is viewed only in a conventional exhibition setting.
Outside the studios, an artisan market featuring vendors from across Johannesburg will bring another dimension to the day, with independent design, craft and handmade goods on offer. The market provides an opportunity to browse the work of local makers alongside the exhibitions and studio visits, adding to the sense of a building in which different forms of creative practice meet.
Whether arriving with a particular artist in mind or simply curious about what happens inside Ellis House, visitors will be able to explore at their own pace. A conversation may lead to an unexpected discovery; a demonstration may offer a new understanding of a familiar medium; a work encountered in a studio may be the one that stays with you long after the visit.
Ellis House Open Studios 2026 offers the public an opportunity to spend time with Johannesburg’s artistic community and to experience the work not only as a finished object, but in relation to the people, processes and spaces from which it emerges.
Event details
Event: Ellis House Open Studios 2026
Date: Saturday, 31 October 2026
Time: 10:00–16:00
Venue: Ellis House Art Building, Johannesburg
Admission: R80 per person
Tickets: Available via Quicket