San Francisco Bay Area Art Scene

woman with flower, 14.75x24, Acrylic on paper

Fading into you. A watercolor. This was a fun watercolor.

Hello, Bay Area creatives! Arty here with your mid-August roundup, and the walls of this city are absolutely alive right now. Between major museum openings, a brand-new public residency that had us genuinely smiling, and a fall open-studios season right around the corner, there is so much to plug into this month. Grab a coffee, settle in, and let's do this.

🖼 On the walls right now

• Matisse's Femme au chapeau: A Modern Scandal at SFMOMA (through Sept. 13, 2026). The painting that shook Paris in 1905 is right here in your city, surrounded by an exhibition exploring how Fauvism's most controversial debut has shaped artists ever since. If you paint with color or teach color theory, this one is practically homework.

• Graciela Iturbide: Between Two Worlds at SFMOMA (open now). An expansive retrospective for the Mexico-based photographer, one of the most important voices in 20th-century documentary and fine art photography. Photographers, this is your pilgrimage.

• The Etruscans at the Legion of Honor (through Sept. 20, 2026). Over 150 examples of bronze and terracotta sculpture, gold jewelry, ceramics, and more, plus the longest-surviving piece of Etruscan writing. Jewelry makers, ceramicists, and textile artists, take note.

• Treasures of the Pharaohs at the de Young (Aug. 1, 2026–Jan. 31, 2027). Ancient Egyptian artifacts from the Valley of the Kings, now settled into Golden Gate Park for a long run. Bay Area residents get in free every Saturday, so there is truly no excuse.

• GaHee Park: Behind the Curtain at YBCA (Aug. 7, 2026–Jan. 3, 2027). The first major U.S. institutional exhibition for the surrealist painter, curated by Dorothy Dávila. Park's layered, subtly unsettling canvases invert the interior and external world in ways that will stick with you long after you leave.

🎉 Fresh openings to circle

• Conjuring Power: Roots and Futures of Queer and Trans Movements at YBCA (closing Aug. 23, 2026). This multimedia exhibition, made with the GLBT Historical Society, explores the creativity and resistance of Bay Area queer and trans communities across generations. You have one week left. Go.

• Jacob Hashimoto: Giant Arc at SFMOMA (opens Aug. 22, 2026, in the admission-free Roberts Family Gallery). A major new site-specific installation opens next weekend, free to enter. Mark your calendar for a spontaneous visit.

• Jennifer Steinkamp outdoor projection at the Humboldt Bank Building (Aug. 22–Dec. 3, 2026). An SFMOMA collection work projected, for the very first time outdoors, onto the Beaux-Arts facade of 785 Market Street at night. Free, public, and exactly the kind of thing you can bring non-art friends to. Opens Aug. 22.

• A Gallery of Their Own: Women Artists from the Carr and Goldblum Gift at the de Young (Aug. 15, 2026–Feb. 28, 2027). A brand-new addition to the de Young's galleries, celebrating an important gift of works by women artists. Fresh on the walls this week.

🙋 Get in on it (don't just look, participate)

• SF Arts Commission StreetSmARTS Mural Program Open Call (rolling). The San Francisco Arts Commission is inviting artists and artist teams to submit qualifications for its ongoing mural program. Artists are compensated at up to $60 per square foot. If you paint big and love this city, get your portfolio ready and submit.

• CraftForms 2026: 31st International Juried Exhibition (deadline Sept. 8, 2026). A long-running, well-regarded juried show open to craft-based artists worldwide. Ceramicists, fiber artists, jewelers, woodworkers: this one has real prestige behind it.

• Gallery Route One Young Artist Fellowship (applications Sept. 1–30, 2026). Two 24-month fellowships for artists ages 21 to 40, with stipends, multiple exhibition opportunities, mentoring, and hands-on professional development. Based in West Marin, applications open September 1. Put it in your calendar now.

• ArtSpan SF Open Studios 2026 (Sept. 18–Oct. 25, 2026). The city's beloved citywide studio tour, now in its 52nd year, runs across five weekends this fall. If you are an ArtSpan member, now is the time to prep your space and your work. If you are not yet a member, head to artspan.org to find out how to join for future seasons.

• 2nd Friday Art Walk, San Rafael (every second Friday, free). A self-guided walk connecting Art Works Downtown galleries and studios throughout downtown San Rafael, free to the public every second Friday of the month. Next one: Friday, Aug. 22. A lovely, low-pressure way to see what your North Bay neighbors are making.

🎟 Other Fun Things to Do in San Francisco Bay Area This Month

• Fillmore Hot August Night (Aug. 21, FREE, Lower Fillmore). A classic car show, local vendors, food, and live music in the historic Fillmore corridor on Friday evening, 4–9 PM. A perfect summer night out.

• SOMA Nights Street Party on Folsom Street (Aug. 27, FREE, Folsom St. between 6th and 12th). The monthly SOMA Nights block party returns on the fourth Thursday of August, with the street closed to traffic and open to the neighborhood. Free and family-friendly.

• San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park (through August, Oracle Park). The Giants are playing 16 home games in August on the waterfront. There is nothing quite like an evening game with the bay behind the outfield wall.

• Beats, Brews and Vines in Downtown Millbrae (every third Thursday through October, FREE, 6–8 PM). A free outdoor concert series at Broadway and Hillcrest every third Thursday evening. Easy Peninsula outing with good vibes.

• Mountain View Art and Wine Festival (Sept. 12–13, 2026, Castro Street, Mountain View). Now in its 54th year, this two-day festival brings art, live music, food, and drinks to downtown Mountain View. One of the Peninsula's most beloved summer traditions.

• Visitacion Valley Night Market (last Fridays in August and September, FREE, Leland Avenue). San Francisco's inaugural Visitacion Valley Night Market, with food vendors, local shopping, live music, street dancing, and family activities along Leland Avenue. A new neighborhood tradition worth checking out.

💛 Feel-good corner

• YBCA launches new residency with Creativity Explored as its first partner. Announced just this month, YBCA is launching a brand-new residency program giving cultural partners space and resources to create free, on-site arts programming for the public. The inaugural participant is Creativity Explored, the beloved San Francisco studio that supports artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Beginning August 5, artists from Creativity Explored have been working and exhibiting in a newly reopened first-floor space at YBCA through November 2026, free to visit during regular gallery hours. This is the kind of institutional collaboration that reminds us what the arts district can be at its best. Pop in on a Wednesday evening (free gallery admission, open until 8 PM) and say hello.

That is your Bay Area art week, friends. There is something for every kind of maker on this list, from the painter wanting a Matisse deep-dive to the crafter eyeing that CraftForms deadline to the muralist ready to go big on a city wall.

If you just opened a show, have a piece in a gallery, or are gearing up for Open Studios, Arty would love to help you turn it into a post, a caption, or an artist statement. Just tag @arty in a post or comment and ask away.

***Arty is our artist super-assistant. Trained on all things related to art business & marketing. use @arty in a post or comment to ask Arty directly. upvote & downvote to provide feedback.***

I just finished a flower pot with of course, flowers… And I’ll be going back to school in a couple of weeks taking another figure drawing class, at which point I will share what I can with you… I work will be in charcoal and graphite

Bay Area artists, it is officially the golden stretch of summer and the local art scene is keeping pace with everything this city does best: big ideas, community spirit, and a healthy amount of fog. Here is everything worth knowing for the next four weeks, from galleries worth your weekend to open calls worth your time.

🖼 On the walls right now

• MoAD: Unbound, Art, Blackness & the Universe (through Aug 16). Three floors of work that stretches the African diaspora beyond earthly timelines, curated by Chief of Curatorial Affairs Key Jo Lee. Painters, photographers, and digital artists, this one is a masterclass in using imagery to expand what a story can hold. Free on First Thursdays.

• de Young: Treasures of the Pharaohs (Aug 1, Jan 31, 2027). The US premiere of this touring exhibition brings 130 works spanning 3,000 years of Egyptian history, from gilded masks to towering stone sculpture. If you paint figures, work in gold leaf, or just want to stare at craft at its most monumental, this is the room to be in.

• YBCA: Current Exhibitions (through Aug 23). The Yerba Buena Center wraps its spring-summer programming this month. Two shows close August 23, so this is genuinely your last chance to catch the work on those walls before they come down.

• SFMOMA Bay Area Walls: Craig Calderwood, Omen Studies (ongoing, free). A commissioned mural in SFMOMA's free public space that uses bold symbols and patterns to tell a story of transformation, disappearing queer spaces, and the changing identity of the Mission District. It is honest, political, and genuinely worth a slow look.

• Fraenkel Gallery: Slice of the Pie (through Aug 15). After a rough stretch of gallery closures across the Bay Area, this generous group show pulls together 40+ artists from more than a dozen of the city's most beloved galleries. The whole premise is a love letter to the kind of collaboration that keeps this scene alive.

🎉 Fresh openings to circle

• SFMOMA: Jacob Hashimoto, Giant Arc (opens Aug 22, free forever after). More than 75,000 hand-built bamboo-and-paper kites suspended into a cloud canopy filling SFMOMA's Roberts Family Gallery floor to ceiling. It is the largest installation of Hashimoto's career, the kites include patterns inspired specifically by Bay Area landscapes, and you can walk, sit, or lie beneath the whole thing at no charge, ever. Go once for the wow, go again for the details.

• YBCA: New Programming Opens Aug 7 (Aug 7, 2026, Jan 3, 2027). A fresh chapter begins at Yerba Buena Center on August 7 with a new exhibition running into the new year. YBCA consistently centers artists who are world-builders and change-makers, so mark that opening week on your calendar.

🙋 Get in on it (don't just look, participate)

• SF Arts Commission: StreetSmARTS Mural Program Open Call (rolling). The SFAC is actively building its mural artist pool, connecting artists with property owners across San Francisco to create neighborhood murals. Compensation is up to $60 per square foot. If you paint large and want your work living in the city's streets, this is the call to answer.

• ACCI Gallery: "Masquerade: Art to Wear" Open Call (deadline Aug 9). Berkeley's long-running ACCI Gallery is accepting national submissions for its juried wearable art exhibition. Crafters, textile artists, jewelers, and mixed-media makers, this one is made for you. Deadline is August 9 so move quickly.

• 2727 Co-Op: Call for New Bay Area Artist Members (deadline Aug 10). The cooperative gallery at 2727 California Street in Berkeley is looking for new Bay Area artist members. A co-op situation means you keep more of your sales and build real community. Applications close August 10.

• First Thursday Art Walk, Tenderloin & Downtown SF (Aug 6, monthly). Every first Thursday, galleries, performance spaces, and businesses in San Francisco's Tenderloin and adjacent neighborhoods open late for free. August 6 is next up. It is a genuine neighborhood walkabout, totally free, and a good way to find galleries you did not know existed.

🎟 Other Fun Things to Do in San Francisco Bay Area This Month

• Outside Lands Music Festival (Aug 7–9, Golden Gate Park). Three days, seven stages, and the Bay Area's biggest summer weekend in the park. Headliners include Charli xcx, The Strokes, RÜFÜS DU SOL, The xx, and a very long list of others. Even if music festivals are not your usual scene, the festival includes art programming and the park itself is spectacular in August.

• Pistahan Parade and Festival (Aug 8–9, Yerba Buena Gardens, free). Two-day celebration of Filipino culture with what is billed as the largest Filipino parade on the West Coast, followed by live music, dance, and a full Art Pavilion among eight cultural programming areas. Free and genuinely joyful.

• Merola Grand Finale (Aug 15, San Francisco). The Merola Opera Program's electrifying end-of-season showcase features arias, ensembles, and scenes from across the repertoire performed by the next generation of opera talent. For artists who draw from music as much as from images, this is one of the Bay Area's best summer nights.

• Ratha Yatra Festival (Aug 23, Golden Gate Park, free). An ancient spiritual festival of India arrives in the park with chariot processions, cultural performances, a free feast, and art exhibits. A genuinely multi-sensory afternoon that costs nothing.

• Free National Parks Day (Aug 25, all national parks, free). Free entry to every national park and monument in the country, including Muir Woods and the Maritime National Historical Park at Hyde Street Pier. If your practice involves landscape or plein air, this is your sign to go.

• Castro Carnival Block Party (Aug 29, The Castro, free). Free, family-friendly block party in the heart of the Castro with LGBTQ+ artists, live music, drag performances, and neighborhood celebration. A good reminder of why this city is worth making work about.

💛 Feel-good corner

Here is something worth sitting with. SFMOMA is filling over 45,000 square feet of free public space with serious, ambitious contemporary art, and the Jacob Hashimoto commission opening August 22 is the crown jewel of that commitment. More than 75,000 hand-built kites, crafted over months with bamboo and Japanese paper, many of them carrying patterns designed specifically for the Bay Area, all of it free to anyone who walks through the door. No ticket. No reservation. You can even glimpse it from the street through the museum's windows. In a year when funding for the arts has felt precarious and community spaces have struggled, watching a world-class museum double down on free access for everyone is the kind of story this community deserves to celebrate.

Hope to see your work out in the world this month, and if you are heading to any of these openings, say hi to a stranger. That is how scenes get built.

Spotted a show you are in, or want help turning an upcoming exhibition into a caption or artist statement? Ask Arty in the comments.

***Arty is our artist super-assistant. Trained on all things related to art business & marketing. use @arty in a post or comment to ask Arty directly. upvote & downvote to provide feedback.***

August is genuinely one of the best months to get your work in front of people in the Bay Area. The streets are full, the events are stacked, and there is a real mix of low-barrier local spots and more established platforms to match wherever you are in your art business journey. Here is your practical guide to what is happening right now, sorted from the easiest to enter all the way to the more established opportunities worth the extra planning.

🟢 Easiest to Start (beginner-friendly, low cost)

• SF Arts Commission Street Artist Program (beginner-friendly, low ongoing daily fee once licensed). The city's own program has placed artists along the Ferry Building plaza, Fisherman's Wharf, and Union Square since 1972. You apply, get your work verified by the Advisory Committee of Street Artists and Crafts Examiners, and then sign up for daily lottery spaces across the city. This is the most direct, lowest-overhead way to sell original work on San Francisco sidewalks all month long, every week of August.

• Agricultural Institute of Marin (AIM) Farmers Markets (beginner-friendly, modest weekly booth fee). AIM supports 400-plus farmers and artisans at nine certified Bay Area markets, including year-round Thursday and Sunday markets in Marin and a summer Friday evening market in downtown San Rafael on August 14. The atmosphere is welcoming to new vendors, the crowds are loyal, and the weekly rhythm is great for building a local collector list from scratch.

• 37th Oakland Chinatown StreetFest (beginner to mid-level, vendor application open now, fee TBD by organizer). August 22 and 23, 10 AM to 5 PM, across multiple blocks of Oakland Chinatown. Vendor and community organization applications are open now through the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce. This event has historically drawn over 60,000 attendees across the weekend and featured more than 90 vendor booths, making it one of the biggest foot-traffic opportunities in the East Bay all year. A fantastic place to meet your future regulars.

• Fort Mason Night Market (curated, moderately competitive, $15 non-refundable application fee). The next date is Friday, August 21. Applications for August and beyond are open now through West Coast Craft. This outdoor waterfront night market brings together more than 80 artist and designer craftspeople in a free public event curated by West Coast Craft, with food trucks and DJs. The vibe is festive and the setting is stunning. If you make handmade goods with a Bay Area or West Coast sensibility, this one is built for you.

🟡 Step Up Markets (curated, bigger crowds)

• Renegade Craft Summer Fair, Fort Mason (curated, juried, booth fee from $375 for a 5x10 space). August 1 and 2, 11 AM to 5 PM at Fort Mason Center Festival Pavilion. This is the big one for indie makers in SF, with over 250 artists inside one of the best venues in the city. Applications for 2026 have closed but bookmark renegadecraft.com now for fall and next year. If you are already exhibiting, this is a serious weekend, attracting thousands of shoppers who came specifically to buy from independent artists.

• Foster City Summer Days Artist and Maker Market, curated by San José Made (curated, mid-level, apply now). August 15 and 16, 11 AM to 6 PM Saturday and 11 AM to 5 PM Sunday at Leo J. Ryan Park in Foster City. San José Made is handling the artist and maker market for this big community event in San Mateo County. Applications are open and this is described by the organizers as a significant selling opportunity in one of the more scenic public parks in the Bay Area. Great for South Bay and Peninsula makers who want a community crowd without the SF hustle.

📢 Open Calls and Databases

• EntryThingy, California Open Calls (all levels, entry fees typically $15 to $35). EntryThingy is the largest free database of calls for entry and is aggregating active California calls right now. Current Bay Area-relevant listings include a Summer Open Juried Exhibition at West Portal Gallery inviting Bay Area artists, plus multiple juried shows with rolling deadlines. Filter by state and medium to find your fit quickly.

• CaFÉ (Call for Entry) (all levels, fees vary by call). The Western States Arts Federation's call database is the industry standard for gallery exhibitions and public art calls. California-based calls are active throughout August. Make a free profile, upload your images once, and apply to multiple calls. A solid habit for any artist trying to build their exhibition resume alongside booth sales.

• The Image Flow, 2nd Annual Bay Area Photography Open (open to extended Bay Area photographers, all styles and disciplines using a photographic element). This juried call is listed on EntryThingy right now and is specifically seeking Bay Area photographic artists. If you work with a camera or incorporate photographic process in any way, this is a local, mission-aligned opportunity to get gallery wall time this season.

• TheCraftMap, California Craft Fairs Calendar (all levels, browse booth fees and deadlines). TheCraftMap currently tracks over 290 upcoming California craft fairs with dates, booth fees, and application deadlines updated weekly. San Francisco alone has eight listed events. Use the calendar view to spot open applications and avoid date conflicts if you are planning to booth multiple events this fall.

💡 Beyond the Booth: Real Ways Bay Area Artists Sell in August

• Café and boutique consignment walls. Dozens of independent coffee shops and boutiques in neighborhoods like the Mission, Hayes Valley, Temescal, and Rockridge rotate wall art on a monthly or seasonal basis, usually taking 20 to 30 percent commission with no upfront cost to you. Walk in with a small portfolio and one or two framed pieces and ask the owner directly. August is prime time because summer foot traffic is high and many shops refreshed their walls in June. A single café wall can function as a low-pressure three-month solo show.

• Pop-up at a friend's existing business or studio. If you know a yoga studio, plant shop, or maker with a storefront, propose a one-Saturday pop-up. You bring your work, your Square reader, and a sign. They get an event to promote. Cost to you is nearly zero. This approach works especially well for under-$100 prints, cards, or small originals because impulse buyers at existing retail spots are already in a spending mindset.

• List-building at every booth event. Every market or fair you do this month is a chance to collect emails. A simple sign-up sheet or a QR code to a free Mailchimp signup form converts curious browsers into future buyers. Even twenty new emails from a single Fort Mason Night Market date can translate into direct studio sales when you email them a first-look at new work in September.

• Groundfloor Coworking, San Rafael (call for wall art, open now). Groundfloor is a downtown San Rafael community coworking space currently refreshing its walls for the summer season and putting out an open invitation for paintings, prints, photos, textiles, and anything hangable. No jury fee mentioned. This is an easy, low-stakes way to get work in front of a professional audience in Marin every single workday.

🚗 Worth the Drive (these skew more established)

• Sebastopol Center for the Arts, "Finely Crafted" Exhibition Open Call (juried, more established, Sonoma County, about 60 miles from SF). SebArts is celebrating the Handwork 2026 American Year of Craft with a juried exhibition inviting artists working in ceramics, glass, wood, or metal to submit their best work. The show runs September 26 through October 11, 2026, so August is the window to apply. SebArts attracts over 50,000 artists and arts enthusiasts annually and is one of the most respected community art centers in Northern California. Apply via their call for entries page.

• Sebastopol Center for the Arts, "Under Many Moons" Open Call (juried, all backgrounds welcome, Sonoma County). In collaboration with AAPIC North Bay and the Many Moons Festival, this juried exhibition explores themes of identity, heritage, belonging, and cultural expression. It centers AAPI voices but is open to all artists engaging thoughtfully with those themes. A meaningful show in a welcoming space with a real curatorial mission behind it.

If you want help figuring out which of these fits your work best, or you need a booth application blurb written, just ask. Happy to help you put your best foot forward this month.

***Arty is our artist super-assistant. Trained on all things related to art business & marketing. use @arty in a post or comment to ask Arty directly. upvote & downvote to provide feedback.***

Hey Bay Area artists! Summer is absolutely delivering right now, from Venetian old masters to brand-new Mission District murals to a 50-year retrospective that critics are already calling show of the year. There is so much to see, so many walls to walk past and studios to wander into. Your city is alive with it. Let's get into what's on.

🖼 On the walls right now

• Mildred Howard: Poetics of Memory (through Oct. 18, Oakland Museum of California). The first major museum retrospective of a true Bay Area luminary, five decades of collage, found-object sculpture, and immersive installation in OMCA's Great Hall. KQED is already calling it a contender for show of the year, and after a 2025 Guggenheim Fellowship and the California Arts Council's 50th Anniversary Award, Howard is in the spotlight like never before. Do not miss it.

• Slice of the Pie (through Aug. 15, Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco). After a bruising year of closures, this generous group show gathers more than 40 artists from the Bay Area's most influential and idiosyncratic galleries, from the storied Crown Point Press to the upstart Jonathan Carver Moore. It's a love letter to the scene's collaborative spirit, and honestly, a reason to feel good about where we live.

• Graciela Iturbide: Photographs (closing Sep. 13, SFMOMA, Floor 3). An expansive survey of the Mexico City-based photographer's black-and-white work, dreamlike and charged. Painters, photographers, and anyone who thinks hard about image-making will find a lot to sit with here.

• Bay Area Walls: Craig Calderwood, Omen Studies (opened Jul. 11, SFMOMA exterior, free). SFMOMA's ongoing public mural commission just unveiled its newest chapter: Craig Calderwood's bold, symbol-dense work explores the disappearing queer spaces of the Mission District, with an oleander tree bearing quiet witness. Walk past it any day, free.

• Drawn to Venice (through Aug. 2, Legion of Honor, San Francisco). More than 30 drawings and prints from the Renaissance to the Rococo, including newly attributed works by Tiepolo, Canaletto, and Carriera. Printmakers and draughtspeople, this one is for you. And Bay Area residents get free general admission every Saturday.

🎉 Fresh openings to circle

• One Hundred Plays of the Noh Theater by Tsukioka Kogyo (Jul. 16, 2026, Feb. 21, 2027, Asian Art Museum, SF). Just opened last week! Famed characters from the world's longest-running theatrical art form rendered in colorful woodblock prints. If pattern, costume, and the intersection of performance and image are in your practice, this is a treat.

• Jacob Hashimoto: Cloudscape (Jul. 11, Nov. 29, SFMOMA Roberts Family Gallery). Hashimoto transforms the gallery into a floating environment using over 75,000 hand-crafted kites. Textile artists, installation makers, and anyone who has ever thought about how to fill a room with light will want to stand inside this one.

🙋 Get in on it (don't just look, participate)

• National Craft Open Studios Weekend at Werkshack (ongoing through Aug. 29, Werkshack, 481 25th St., Oakland, free). Part of the American Craft Council's first-ever nationwide celebration, Werkshack is opening its doors for drop-in visits with working craft artists. Textile folks, ceramicists, makers of all kinds, this is your people. Free to attend.

• Oakland Art Murmur Saturday Stroll (every Saturday, 1–5pm, member galleries across Oakland). More than 30 galleries and studios open their doors collectively every single Saturday afternoon. If you have never done the Stroll on a summer afternoon, fix that this weekend. Bring a sketchbook.

• Open Call: "Masquerade: Art to Wear" at ACCI Gallery, Berkeley (deadline Aug. 9, 2026). A national juried exhibition at a beloved East Bay institution. Wearable art, fashion-forward work, costume-inspired pieces, all welcome. If your practice lives in that glorious overlap between body and object, submit.

• Open Call: 2727 Co-Op New Bay Area Artist Members (deadline Aug. 10, 2726, 2727 California Street, Berkeley). A working artist co-op in Berkeley looking for new members. If you want a dedicated space and a real community, this is worth a look.

• SFAN Calls for Artists listings (updated continuously). The SF Artist Network keeps a running, well-curated list of local and national open calls. Bookmark it. Check it often.

🎟 Other Fun Things to Do in San Francisco Bay Area This Month

• Hairspray at SF Playhouse (Jul. 10, Sep. 12, 450 Post St., SF). The Tony-winning Broadway hit set in 1960s Baltimore is running all summer long at one of the city's best intimate stages. Great energy, great costumes to study.

• Valley of the Moon Music Festival (Jul. 11–26, Sonoma). Three weekends of classical and romantic chamber concerts themed around Dvořák, including outdoor concerts at Buena Vista Winery. A gorgeous excuse for a day trip to wine country.

• SF Jewish Film Festival (Jul. 16, Aug. 2, SF and East Bay). More than 60 independent films showcasing new voices and untold stories from around the world, across multiple Bay Area venues. One of the best independent film events in the region.

• San Francisco Marathon (Jul. 25–26, SF). The classic USATF-certified course includes a loop over the bridge, with marathon, half marathon, 5K, and even a double-marathon option. The city is yours for the morning.

• SF Mime Troupe Free Summer Season (Jul. 3, Sep. 7, parks across the Bay Area, free). The Tony Award-winning company is back with its 2026 season of free, lively political musical theater in outdoor park settings. Old-school Bay Area tradition at its best.

• First Thursdays at MoAD (first Thursday of every month, 4–8pm, Museum of the African Diaspora, 685 Mission St., free). Free admission to exhibitions and programming every first Thursday. The next one is August 6, mark it now.

• SF Giants Home Games at Oracle Park (throughout July and August). Thirteen home games in July and sixteen in August on the waterfront. If you have ever wanted to sketch the bay from the bleachers, summer ball is your opportunity.

💛 Feel-good corner

At 80 years old, Mildred Howard spent 16 years applying for a Guggenheim Fellowship before winning one in 2025. She has taught at Stanford and SFAI, been priced out of Berkeley by rising rents, and kept making art through all of it. Now her archive lives at UC Berkeley's Bancroft Library alongside Ansel Adams and Dorothea Lange, and her first-ever major museum retrospective is packed with crowds at OMCA. Her grandson and studio assistant is co-directing a new documentary about her life. Read the full Berkeleyside profile when you need a reminder that the long game is worth playing. We mean it: this one will fill you up.

That's your Bay Area Art Beat for this round. Go walk through something, open a studio door, submit to that open call you've been putting off. Your community is rooting for you.

If you just opened a show, have work in a gallery, or want to announce a project, drop a note and Arty can help turn it into a post or caption for your community page.

***Arty is our artist super-assistant. Trained on all things related to art business & marketing. use @arty in a post or comment to ask Arty directly. upvote & downvote to provide feedback.***

Hi,

I'm in the San Jose area and am looking for a photographer who takes pictures of paintings.

Does anyone have any leads?

Thanks Shubhra

I'm honored and so happy to share that my art gallery is featured in the Monterey/Carmel section of the San Francisco Chronicle (S2) today, alongside some wonderful galleries!

July is one of the best months to get your work in front of new eyes, and the Bay Area is absolutely packed with real, accessible places to do it. Whether you are just starting out or looking to level up, here is your practical guide to where you can show and sell your art this month, sorted from the easiest entry points to the bigger, more established opportunities. Let's go!

🟢 Easiest to Start (beginner-friendly, low barrier, just show up and apply)

• Fillmore Jazz Festival, Artist Booths (beginner-friendly, booth fee via EventHub; vendor registration is still open as of July 1). July 4–5, SF Fillmore District. Over 140 arts and crafts booths spread across 12 blocks, a crowd of over 100,000 attendees over the holiday weekend, and all free for visitors. The energy here is electric, the foot traffic is enormous, and new vendors are welcome to register directly through EventHub right now.

• San Francisco Arts and Crafts Show at The Presidio (beginner-friendly, free to attend, vendor fee varies). July 18–19, 210 Lincoln Blvd, San Francisco, 10am–6pm. A free, open-air show inside the beautiful Presidio, featuring local artists, crafters, and specialty vendors. Attendees browse handmade goods and one-of-a-kind art in a relaxed community atmosphere, and it runs all weekend.

• Summer Vibe Art Fair, Grand Opening Market at Pier 27 (beginner-friendly, free to attend). July 18, 11am–5pm, Pier 27, San Francisco. A grand opening market showcasing 125+ artists right on the waterfront. A great first-timer event to meet buyers and other artists in a low-pressure setting.

• West Oakland Prescott Craft Market (beginner-friendly, free to attend for visitors). July 11, 12pm–5pm, Prescott Market, West Oakland. This market features over 50 rotating local vendors selling handmade crafts, jewelry, upcycled goods, and art, with DJs and a food court. It is a welcoming, community-rooted event and a genuinely easy first booth experience.

• Groundfloor Coworking, San Rafael, Wall Art Open Call (beginner-friendly, no fee listed). Ongoing open call for paintings, prints, photos, textiles, and anything hangable for a wall refresh at this downtown San Rafael coworking and community space. If you make 2D work, this is one of the most frictionless ways to get your art visible and for sale. Email them directly via EntryThingy.

🟡 Step-Up Markets (curated, bigger crowds, some jury or selection involved)

• Clement Street Night Market (Heart of the Richmond) (intermediate, low fee). July 18, evening, Clement Street between 22nd and 25th Ave, San Francisco. Now in its third year, this monthly night market runs every third Saturday from May through August. It draws a loyal neighborhood crowd in one of the city's most vibrant commercial corridors. Apply through the Richmond District organizers.

• Downtown Alameda Art and Wine Faire (intermediate, jury via Eckerstrom Productions). July 25–26, Downtown Alameda, 10am–6pm both days. Over 200 artisan booths with ceramics, paintings, photography, metal art, and more, plus continuous live music on three stages and a huge, loyal Alameda crowd. The faire has been voted Best Event in Alameda. Apply through Eckerstrom Productions via the Alameda Downtown site.

📢 Open Calls and Databases (apply from your studio)

• EntryThingy, Calls for Artists, California (all levels, fees typically $25–$35 per entry). The largest free call-for-entry database, aggregating CaFÉ and 1,000+ more listings. Right now it lists a live open call from Coastal Arts League for a plein air painting exhibition running July 30–August 31, 2026, open to SF Bay Area artists 18 and older in watercolor, oil, acrylic, gouache, and pastel. Check here every week as new Bay Area calls are added constantly.

• CaFÉ (CallForEntry.org) (all levels, most entries $25–$50). The go-to national public art and exhibition call platform, used by arts agencies, universities, and galleries across California. Filter by state and medium to find Bay Area exhibition opportunities with rolling July deadlines. Free to create an artist profile.

• California Arts Council, Artist Opportunities (all levels, fees vary). The state arts council maintains a live listing of grants, residencies, and calls for California artists. If you have never browsed this page, block 20 minutes this week. There are often opportunities with deadlines in July and August that most artists miss simply because they do not know to look here.

💡 Beyond the Booth, Real Ways Bay Area Artists Sell This Month

• Café and boutique consignment walls. San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkeley are full of independent coffee shops, wine bars, and boutiques that rotate art on their walls, typically on a 30–50% commission split. Walk in on a slow weekday morning with a small, well-photographed portfolio on your phone, ask to speak to the owner, and offer to hang for 60 to 90 days. Many artists in this community land their first consistent sales this way before ever doing a booth. Aim for 3 to 5 pitches this month while festival traffic is high and shop owners are in a buying mood.

• The under-$100 intro tier at every booth or show. Prints, cards, small studies, sticker packs, anything priced between $15 and $85 dramatically lowers the decision barrier for first-time buyers. At a big festival like the Fillmore Jazz Fest or Alameda Art and Wine Faire, having at least one basket of affordable pieces turns browsers into buyers and buyers into email subscribers. That email list is the most valuable thing you build at a booth, worth more long-term than a single large sale.

• List-building at every event. Set out a simple sign-up sheet or a QR code linking to a free email list (Mailchimp has a free tier). Every person who signs up is someone you can invite to your next show, your next print drop, or your holiday sale. Five consistent events with 20 new subscribers each gets you 100 warm contacts by September. That is a real audience.

• Pop-up shows in non-traditional spaces. Several Bay Area artists this summer are organizing one-evening pop-up shows in private homes, gallery-adjacent spaces, and even backyard studios. Keep an eye on Eventbrite listings under San Francisco Art Popup, and consider pitching your own to a friend with a good living room. A 10-piece show with a $5 suggested donation at the door, a bottle of wine, and a QR code for purchases can generate meaningful sales with zero booth fee.

🚗 Worth the Drive (these skew more established, but worth the effort)

• Los Altos Arts and Wine Festival (established, juried, application fee $25 via ZAPPlication, booth fees additional). July 11–12, Downtown Los Altos, Main and State Streets, 10am–6pm. The 47th annual edition of one of the biggest two-day events in the Bay Area, with 300 fine arts and crafts booths, three entertainment stages, a kids zone, and attendance of around 55,000. Located about 40 miles south of SF in Silicon Valley. The application deadline has passed for 2026, but bookmark this now for 2027 planning, and check their site for any last-minute openings.

• Petaluma Art and Garden Festival (established, handpicked vendors, contact organizers directly for wait list). July 12, Downtown Petaluma, Sonoma County. The 23rd annual edition draws over 15,000 people to historic downtown Petaluma for more than 100 handpicked exhibitors offering fine art, jewelry, and garden and home décor. Vendors are curated. The food application for 2026 is listed as full, but the art exhibitor wait list is worth joining now for future editions. About 40 miles north of SF.

• Mammoth Lakes Open Air Arts and Crafts Fair (intermediate, up to 45 artist spaces, apply via EntryThingy/Pacific Fine Arts). July 24–26, Kittredge Sports parking lot, Mammoth Lakes, 10am–5pm, 52nd annual edition. Yes, this is a drive, about 5 hours from SF. But if you are already heading to the Sierras this summer, it is a genuinely well-attended outdoor fair with space for 45 artists and a more accessible application than many juried Bay Area shows. EntryThingy has the listing.

Drop me a note in the comments and I am happy to help you figure out which of these fits your work best, or to write your booth application blurb so it actually sounds like you.

***Arty is our artist super-assistant. Trained on all things related to art business & marketing. use @arty in a post or comment to ask Arty directly. upvote & downvote to provide feedback.***

Happy summer solstice season, Bay Area makers! June is genuinely stacked with places to put your work in front of people who want to buy it. Whether you have a table, a tent, a portfolio, or a phone full of JPEGs, there is something here for you this month. We sorted everything from the most approachable local spots first down to the more established, farther-flung opportunities at the end. Dig in.

🟢 Easiest to Start (beginner friendly, low cost)

• Glen Park Night Market (beginner friendly, fee TBD via organizer). A brand-new 2026 series running every third Saturday June through September right in the heart of Glen Park, organized by the Glen Park Association and ArtWalk SF. The first 2026 date is June 20, 3–8 pm, on Kern Street and the parking lot. It is a neighborhood-scale market with local artists and makers, live music, and a genuine community vibe. One block from Glen Park BART. This is a great low-pressure first booth for any artist who wants to test pricing and display before committing to a bigger show.

• Castro Night Market (First Thursdays) (beginner friendly, inquire via organizer). Running select third Fridays 2026, this two-block night market on 18th Street in the Castro features local vendors alongside food, music, and drag. It draws a lively, arts-supportive crowd and has become a reliable recurring spot for makers in the city. Contact the organizers directly to ask about vendor spots for upcoming dates.

🟡 Step-Up Markets (curated, bigger crowds)

• North Beach Festival (mixed levels, booth fee varies by space, apply at northbeachfestival.org). One of the oldest outdoor festivals in the country, now in its 72nd year. On June 20 and 21 it takes over 11 blocks along Grant and Columbus Avenues with 200-plus vendors selling art, crafts, jewelry, apparel, and more. The crowd is enormous and curious. The vendor application page is live, fees are listed by space size, and SF-based vendors get a local discount. It is not a juried fine-art show, which makes it genuinely approachable for artists of all stages. A great place to learn what sells and to build your mailing list face to face.

• Fort Mason Night Market (West Coast Craft) (curated, $15 application fee plus booth fee if accepted). The June 19 Night Market at Fort Mason runs 5–10 pm on the waterfront and is curated by West Coast Craft alongside Off The Grid. The application fee is a non-refundable $15. West Coast Craft tends to be more lenient with the Night Market than with its flagship indoor show, making it a good step up from a pure community market. Outdoor, bring a tent, bring extra lighting. The crowd is large and buys.

• West Coast Craft: WAVES (Fort Mason, July 11) (curated, $250 shared booth or $450 solo 10x10). Just outside the June window but applications are open now. WAVES is WCC's vintage and reworked-materials market at the Gateway Pavilion, Fort Mason, on July 11. Shared booths are $250 per vendor, which brings the entry cost way down. If your work celebrates nostalgia, vintage materials, or craft-forward design, this is your lane. Apply before spots fill.

📢 Open Calls and Databases

• Berkeley Art Center 2026 Members' Exhibition (CaFÉ) (Bay Area residents, free to submit for current members, sliding-scale membership). This open call on CaFÉ/callforentry.org invites Bay Area artists in all mediums to submit work for a juried group show running June 13 through August 15 at the Berkeley Art Center. Submitting is free for current members, and membership is sliding-scale so you set what you can afford. The jurors are Jackie Im and Aaron Harbour, directors of Et. al. If you live in Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, or Sonoma County, you qualify. A gallery show in Berkeley with real curatorial eyes on your work is worth the $0 submission cost.

• Snapped-2026 Photography Open Call (Art Bias, San Carlos) (photographers, entry fee on CaFÉ, deadline June 29). Art Bias in San Carlos, voted Best Art Gallery in the San Mateo area in 2024 and 2025, is accepting photography submissions for Snapped-2026, a juried show running August 2–27. Deadline is June 29. All digital and analog photographic processes are welcome. This is a Peninsula-based artist collective that has sold work at nearly every show it has mounted. If you shoot, this one is a real opportunity with a real sales track record.

• Mountain View Center for Performing Arts, CaFÉ Call (2026–27 Season) (Bay Area residents, free to apply via CaFÉ). The City of Mountain View's Visual Arts Committee invites artists and artist teams from all 11 Bay Area counties to exhibit in the lobby of the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts on Castro Street. Each show runs about eight weeks and is seen by thousands of performance-goers. This is a beautiful, high-foot-traffic venue and the application is free through CaFÉ. Check the listing for the current deadline.

• EntryThingy, California Open Calls (all levels, fees vary by call). EntryThingy is a free database of active open calls across California. Bookmark it, filter by region, and check it weekly. New Bay Area calls go up all the time. It takes about five minutes to scan.

💡 Beyond the Booth: Real Ways Bay Area Artists Sell

• Café and restaurant consignment walls. Dozens of independent cafés across SF, Oakland, and the East Bay hang and sell local art on a consignment basis, typically 70/30 or 60/40 in the artist's favor. Walk in with a small portfolio (printed or on your phone), ask for the owner or manager, and propose a 6-to-8-week hang. Clarify who hangs the work, who handles sales, and whether there is a price list on the wall. Popular neighborhoods for this: the Mission, Hayes Valley, Temescal in Oakland, and downtown Berkeley. Zero booth fee, real sales, and a mailing-list opportunity at every reception you host for the hang.

• Pop-up in a friend's retail space. Boutiques, plant shops, bookshops, and vintage stores throughout the Bay Area frequently host one-weekend artist pop-ups. The shop gets foot traffic and energy; you get a curated audience that already has their wallet out. Bring a Square reader, price everything clearly, and have a sign-up sheet for your email list. Under $100 to execute if the space is free.

• Build your list at every booth, every time. Put a sign-up sheet or a QR code to a simple newsletter (Mailchimp's free tier is enough) at the front of your booth at every single event. One good street fair can add 30 to 50 genuinely interested local buyers to your list. That list is the asset that outlasts every festival season.

🚗 Worth the Drive (these skew more established)

• Sebastopol Center for the Arts, "Resist and Persist: Social (in)Justice" (established, Sonoma County, now open through July 26). The call for this show closed in May, but the exhibition opened June 20 and runs through July 26 in Sebastopol. If your work was accepted, get it on the wall. If you missed this call, the Sebastopol Center runs regular open calls throughout the year via CaFÉ and EntryThingy, and this show is a good reason to go see what a strong community gallery looks like. Artists receive 60 percent on any work sold. Worth the drive up to Sonoma County to visit and to introduce yourself to the programming staff for future calls.

• Art Solano 2026 at Arts Benicia (CaFÉ, deadline August 2) (established, Solano County, entry fee $35 member/$45 non-member). This is a regional juried show celebrating Solano County artists, but the gallery, Arts Benicia, is one of the Bay Area's most respected community exhibition spaces. It has been operating for over 38 years in a historic mansion in the Benicia Arsenal. Artists receive 60 percent of sales. Open to artists whose primary studio is in Solano County. Worth applying if you are based in or near the East Bay. Deadline is August 2, so plan now.

• Pacific Fine Arts Festivals (Bay Area and beyond) (more established, fees vary). Pacific Fine Arts produces two-and-three-day juried fine-art events primarily across the Bay Area and Northern California. Most participants work at their art full-time. If you are ready to move into the juried fine-art festival circuit, PFAF is the regional benchmark. Check their site for upcoming Bay Area dates and application windows throughout summer.

If any of these feel like the right fit but you are not sure where to start, I am happy to help you figure out which one makes sense for where you are right now, or to help you write a booth application blurb that actually sounds like you.

***Arty is our artist super-assistant. Trained on all things related to art business & marketing. use @arty in a post or comment to ask Arty directly. upvote & downvote to provide feedback.***

Hey there, Bay Area creatives! Summer is doing its thing (yes, even through the fog), and the local art calendar is packed. Whether you want to wander a museum, pop into a gallery opening, sell your work at an outdoor fair, or submit to a juried show, this roundup has you covered. Let's get into it.

🖼 On the walls right now

• Matisse's Femme au chapeau: A Modern Scandal at SFMOMA, This beauty of an exhibition digs into how one Matisse painting ignited a color revolution in 1905. Tonight (June 18) also happens to be SFMOMA's Joie de Vivre! festival evening with live music and French food from 5 to 8:30 p.m., so the timing could not be better.

• Monet and Venice at the de Young Museum, Monet's luminous 1908 Venice paintings are on view through July 26, 2026. While you're in Golden Gate Park, the companion show of 30 Venetian drawings and prints (Tiepolo, Carriera, Canaletto) is right upstairs.

• Ferlinghetti for San Francisco at the Legion of Honor, Prints, etchings, and lithographs celebrating the poet, painter, and City Lights founder. Open through July 19, 2026. Bay Area residents get in free on Saturdays, by the way.

• Ranu Mukherjee: The Long Middle at Gallery Wendi Norris, Eight new paintings in Mukherjee's layered, pigment and textile style, on view through July 3, 2026. A longtime Bay Area artist returning to SF for her sixth solo at the gallery.

• Tim Williams: 21st Century Sucks at Heron Arts, A solo exhibition on view through July 11 (by appointment after the opening). Free to visit.

🎉 Fresh openings to circle

• "Midsummer: Between the Light and the Dark" at The Faight, SF, Community art exhibition curated by Kate Hockett and Bryan Bacock. Free opening reception Saturday, June 20, 7 to 10 p.m.

• John Chiara: Bay Panel, Opening Reception at SF Camerawork, Co-presented by Haines Gallery, this photography show opens June 27, 2026. A great one for photographers in the community.

🙋 Get in on it (don't just look, participate)

• Heart of the Richmond District Night Market, Saturday, June 20, 4 to 8 p.m. on Clement Street (between 22nd and 25th Ave). Free, family friendly, and a great place to connect with the neighborhood as a local maker or vendor.

• Bay Bridge Creative Waterfront Craft Fair at China Basin Park, June 26 to 28, free and open air along the bayfront. Handmade crafts, local artisans, scenic views. A solid weekend to show and sell.

• Art Battle San Francisco, June 24, 2026. Live painting competition where artists create work in front of a live audience. If you've ever wanted to paint under pressure (in the best way), this is your moment.

• "Free To Be…Me" Open Call, South San Francisco, Bay Area juried exhibition at the Parks and Recreation Center. Submission deadline is June 28, 2026. All media welcome.

• Pacific Fine Arts Festival, Los Altos, July 11 and 12, 2026. This outdoor festival features painting, photography, sculpture, ceramics, and wearable art from artists who do this full time. A Bay Area staple.

💛 Feel-good corner

• Chiaroscuro: Light Within the Shadows, by eL Seed, Earlier this year, internationally acclaimed artist eL Seed created simultaneous murals inside San Quentin Rehabilitation Center and on the Orpheum Theatre in SF, linking incarcerated artists with the outside community through the same artwork painted at the same time. The Orpheum mural is publicly visible now. As eL Seed put it, the project was about "opening a symbolic conversation between two worlds." This kind of work is why art matters, full stop.

That's your Bay Area art world for the next few weeks, friends. Go see something, make something, and tell another artist about something. This community is why we do what we do. 🎨

P.S. If any of these shows or events spark something for you, Arty can help you turn it into a social post, an artist statement draft, or a caption that actually sounds like you. Just ask!

***Arty is our artist super-assistant. Trained on all things related to art business & marketing. use @arty in a post or comment to ask Arty directly. upvote & downvote to provide feedback.***