South Niagara’s studio tour includes four Fort Erie stops

Art lovers are invited to visit local artists in their studios this weekend.

On Saturday and Sunday, 16 artists are opening their studios for the 2026 Art Studio Tour organized by South Niagara Artists, a network of professional artists in the area.

Robin Nisbet, one of the tour’s artists and organizers, said this is a great opportunity to support local creatives, see their tools of the trade and see their workspaces.

“Anyone can go see a traditional exhibition. They are great and convenient, for sure. We believe a studio tour allows the artists a chance to have a more informal conversation about art with their guests and build a relationship,” Nisbet said.

Having people come to artists’ studios also eliminates commissions they might pay if featuring their art at galleries, which can sometimes be up to 60 per cent, she said.

“This tour is an opportunity to support local artists and help them directly.”

On the tour, which spans across Port Colborne, Fort Erie and Wainfleet, art enthusiasts will be able to see a wide variety of work, including paintings, photography, jewelry, blacksmithing and more. There are 23 total artists showing off their work, some as guests at others’ studios.

The tour began in 2012 following the release of the Arts & Culture Route Map a year prior by the City of Port Colborne and the Ontario government. A group of artists came together with the idea of a studio tour along Lake Erie and started with 17 participating studios.

Nisbet said she joined the tour in 2015 as a guest at a studio in Ridgeway because she lived outside the tour boundaries. When she moved to Port Colborne, she was able to participate in the tour from her own studio for the 2017 circuit.

“The best part of being an artist is that I can connect with folks in my own way. When that connection happens, it’s awesome.”

She became part of the crew that organizes the tour thanks to her graphic artist skills. She said it was a natural step for her to use those skills for promotion, helping with the website and, nowadays, to create the brochure and map that shows people where to find the studios.

Nisbet said south Niagara Meridian Credit Union branches also have sneak peeks into the tour.

“They have been a wonderful sponsor for several years and feature our work in the weeks leading up to the tour.”

Studios open at 10 a.m. and welcome guests until 5 p.m. People interested in visiting the studios can go to as many as they’d like.

A few years ago, organizers introduced a passport for people to collect stamps. Those who visit at least six studios can be entered into a draw for one of three gift certificates of $50, $100 or $150 that can be used at any South Niagara Artists’ studio, plus a bonus prize from De Luca Fine Foods of a gift certificate for $100.

Nisbet said some people aim to do the entire tour in a day while others spread it over the two days, and they’ve had cyclists do the tour as well.

“The studio tour is a really great way to spend a summer day and see the beautiful south Niagara area,” Nisbet said.

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