Durango Open Studio Tour Connects Art Lovers with Artists

Artists will open their studio doors for a behind the scenes look. During the 2025 Durango Open Studio tour, authors, writers and literature lovers are invited to Durango Public Library’s literary Festival, and the payroll department and Community Foundation serving Southwest Colorado replaced Meet Your Match with a new initiative to award community grants. You are watching the local News Roundup, brought to you by Skye Casino and Crystal Mart. I’m Sadie Smith. Explore Artist studios and connect with local artists. At the 2025 Durango Open Studio Tour, our enthusiasts may meet with 30 local artists and plan Their tour stops at the opening art exhibition from five to 7:00 PM on Friday, October 17th at the Durango Creative District headquarters on Main Avenue. The self-guided tours are free and studios will be open from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Saturday and Sunday, October 18th and 19th. The tours offer behind the scenes look at artists studios around Durango, as well as opportunities to engage with emerging and established artists and perhaps purchase local art. Printed maps are available at the info booth at the Durango Creative District headquarters and the Art Room collective at the Smiley building. To view a digital tour map and learn more, visit the Durango Open Studios tour website. The Durango Public Library and friends of the library present the 13th Annual Literary Festival on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, October 8th through the 17th. At the library. The 2025 Festival features, workshops, and discussions by local authors and writers. Events are free to attend, but some presentations require pre-registration. Visit the Durango Public Library website for details. The payroll department in partnership with the Community Foundation serving Southwest Colorado will bring a version of the Shark Tank competition to La Plata County. The two organizations have launched an interactive grant making initiative called Pitch Palooza. Qualifying Nonprofits will compete for first, second, and third place grant awards based on votes by an audience of payroll department clients and staff. Applicant projects must support youth, the environment, or human services within La Plata County. The application deadline is Monday, October 20th with the top three nonprofit applicants announced in early November. The three selected nonprofits will present a five minute project pitch, followed by a five minute question and answer session at Pitch Palooza on Tuesday, November 18th. The event time and location are yet to be determined. Grant amounts are based on first, second, and third place. For more information, visit the Community Foundation serving Southwest Colorado website. Learn more about these and other stories online@durangolocal.news. Thank you for watching this edition of the Local News Roundup. I’m Sadie Smith.