Somerville Open Studios Budget

Where do SOS Registration fees and donations go?

As a non-profit, volunteer run organization, we work with a close budget. Every expenditure directly furthers our mission to promote visual artists and the art community in Somerville.

SOS produces a high-quality map booklet—a directory of Somerville artists. This major budget item organizes the event in a form accessible to the public. We continue to develop the mobile-based version, too.

Teams of volunteers work to market SOS through every channel we can including social media and printed posters. Some well-placed paid advertising helps get the word out, too.

To create an interconnected event we hire a set of Trolleys to loop the city and bring visitors from site to site. These trolleys also raise visibility for the event. Plus, they're fun!

The planning and organizing of the SOS weekend takes a full year of work. A Coordinator (or sometimes duo of Co-Coordinators) recruits volunteers, organizes all the parts, and keeps the ship sailing forward to the next year. The Coordinator draws a small administrative stipend, and other on-going expenses are carried in the budget as well.

Where does the funding for SOS come from?

The most important aspect of the SOS budget is the volunteer labor. Without the un-told hours and years of dedicated work, SOS could not be the premier Open Studios event that it is.

Additionally, donations of food, venues for events, and discounts on most purchases help keeps SOS vibrant, thriving, and truly community based.

Artists create this event and support it with time, dedication, and also money. Because of the breadth of our community, we have a solid foundation while keeping our rates low and offering financial aid to those who need it.

We rely on the generous support of many local businesses. Always remember to thank businesses who advertise in the SOS map booklet.

Additionally, we receive generous sponsorship from the City of Somerville, and donations from artists and visitors. Thank you, everyone, for helping make SOS happen!



To make a donation, visit our Donate page.