Placer Artists Tour continually renews the need for visibility, access, and connection in the arts by creating ongoing opportunities that strengthen both artists and audiences year after year. Through our free annual Tour, we introduce new artists and fresh work while sustaining meaningful relationships with returning visitors and collectors, ensuring the arts remain visible, relevant, and economically viable in Placer County. We evolve our programming to reflect changing creative practices and community interests, with initiatives like Outside the Box: Reimagined generating resources that support long-term sustainability. By reinvesting in artist support, marketing, accessibility, and endowment growth, Placer Artists Tour builds momentum—where each year’s success fuels the next—creating a resilient and thriving creative community.
We have a special opportunity for Big Day of Giving Donors: all donations will support the Joanne K. Neft New & Emerging Artists Fund, which provides mentoring, professional development and fee discounts to artists new to the tour each year.
All individual donors become Friends of the Tour!
ABOUT PLACER ARTISTS TOUR
♦ The 2026 Placer Artists Tour takes place Friday-Sunday November 6-8 and Nov. 13-15.
♦ We actively partner with other organizations including Auburn Symphony, Placer Land Trust, Auburn Arts Commission and Placer Wine and Ale Trail.
♦ Celebrating 33 years of showcasing local art in 2026
♦ We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation
♦ The 2025 Tour offered over 100 artists, galleries, schools and group venues in over 80 locations throughout Placer County.
Our mission is to make the arts visible, accessible, and valued in Placer County by creating ongoing opportunities that connect artists with the community, spark creativity, and ensure a thriving cultural ecosystem for generations to come.
Each year, the Placer Artists Tour turns our county into a living gallery. Visitors step inside studios, meet local artists, and experience creativity up close.
For more than 33 years, the Tour has brought our community together — supporting artists while drawing visitors who shop, dine, and explore throughout Placer County.
As the Tour grows, so do the costs of marketing, insurance, and keeping participation affordable for artists at every stage of their careers. Community support makes this possible.
In recent years, we’ve expanded our reach through partnerships with the Auburn Symphony and Placer Land Trust, creating programs that connect art, music, and the natural beauty of our region.
A generous 2023 gift established the Joanne K. Neft New and Emerging Artists Fund, providing mentoring, professional development, and reduced fees for artists new to the Tour. We’ve also expanded arts education by including Art Schools and maintaining an online Arts Directory that connects residents with artists who teach children and adults.
Your donation helps keep this tradition strong — supporting local artists, enriching our community, and ensuring the Placer Artists Tour continues to thrive for years to come.
Cultural Equity Statement
The Placer Artists Tour is committed to advancing cultural equity in all aspects of our work. We recognize that systemic inequities have historically limited access, visibility, and opportunity for many artists, particularly those from communities that have been underrepresented in the arts.
We believe that cultural equity is essential to the vitality, relevance, and future of the arts in our region. Every person deserves access to a full creative life and the opportunity to share their work with the public.
The Placer Artists Tour Board and staff actively work to foster inclusive participation, remove barriers to access, and create welcoming spaces where artists of all backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences are supported and valued.
View our current participation opportunities.
In-Person Volunteering
Volunteer in an Artist studio or at an Event
various
March 1, 2026 - December 1, 2026
In-Person Event
A Big Day of Giving Celebration of the Arts!
Auburn Art Park & Central Square
May 7, 2026 - May 8, 2026
Organization name
Placer Artists Tour
2021
Mission Category
Arts, Culture & Humanities
Operating Budget
$100,001-$250,000
Organization Need
Funding: Program, In-Kind Donations, Funding: Unrestricted, Funding: Other
Demographics Served
General population
Local Counties Served
Placer
Address
100 El Dorado St., Suite 2Placer County, CA, US