If a neighborhood's memory is held in its creative spaces, then East Harlem is currently a vivid, breathing archive. This weekend, the East Harlem Open Studios (EHOS) returns, transforming private workrooms into public forums for conversation and discovery. From 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM on Saturday and Sunday, more than 25 artists and galleries invite you to see the "marks we leave in the world"—those stories about how they navigate the messy creative process that brings art into the world.

A central hub for this weekend’s events is the Julio Valdez Studio (top), where the master printmaker’s fluid, water-themed works are characterized by a multidisciplinary and process-driven approach that blends traditional methods with revolutionary, non-toxic techniques. You can find the studio at 176 East 106th St, 4th Floor. During opeh hours, you'll have the chance to see his latest works-in-progress, including a graphite and silk collage (above)commissioned by The Studio Museum in Harlem.

Highlights from the Tour:

La Marqueta (1590 Park Avenue): Visit Carmen Isasi, whose works in acrylic and oil navigate the complexities of cultural roots and resilience.

Amicus Art Gallery (183 East 107th St, 5th Fl): Silvia Battistuzzi showcases new work alongside professional framing insights, proving that the presentation of art is a craft in itself.

180 East 118th Street (2nd Fl): Dive into Becca Shirin’s  "Food Obsession," a series of photography and mixed-media that captures the ephemeral nature of the everyday.

345 East 104th Street: Eliana Perez presents "Natural Conversations," a series of oil paintings that explore the unpredictability of the natural world.

176 East 106th Street: Julio Valdez opens his 4th-floor studio to share intricate graphite and silk collage works that speak to the depth of the immigrant experience.

1914 Third Avenue: Jaynie Crimmins continues her transformation of the mundane, creating shredded magazine sculptures that demand a slow, contemplative gaze.

1914 3rd Ave, 2nd floor. Heather Cox (above). The artist uses photographs as a sculptural material exploring themes of memory, visibility and metamorphosis by cutting up donated snapshots and stapling them into unusual shapes. 

Beyond the Studio Walls:While you’re in El Barrio, don’t miss the Studio Museum in Harlem (above).Now settled into its new home at 144 West 125th Street, it remains a living center of cultural memory, currently spotlighting its 2026 Artist-in-Residence cohort. Further south,  Artspace PS109  (215 East 99th Street) continues its legacy as a vital hub for community
engagement and affordable creative life. In a world increasingly shaped by digital light, these physical spaces remind us that art is still a "radical physical alteration" from thought to form.

Physical copies of the East Harlem Open Studios (EHOS) 2026 map can be picked up at several neighborhood hubs. If you prefer a digital version, you can find a saveable map on the official EHOS Instagram page