OAM is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that strengthens the East Bay’s visual arts ecosystem through artist-centered programs, free public events, and community partnerships. We serve artists, art spaces, and audiences across more than a dozen cities, working to ensure the region remains a vibrant, inclusive place for creativity and cultural exchange.

East Bay Open Studios:
EBOS is a free, twice-annual event that invites the public into the working spaces of over 300 visual artists across Alameda and Contra Costa counties and welcomes over 50,000 studio visits from the public. Since taking on stewardship in 2023, OAM has expanded the equity program to include Community Hubs for artists without studio space, Fee Waivers for artists with financial need, and a new Emerging Artist Program that deepens our support of diverse talent that often gets overlooked.

Artist Professional Development:
We offer ten free workshops each year to help artists grow their practice and careers. Topics include pricing artwork, writing artist statements, and finding exhibition opportunities. Since launching in 2023, the series has served 150+ artists annually.

First Friday Art Walks:
OAM organizes 12 First Friday Art Walks each year, connecting the public to galleries and art venues across Oakland. In partnership with 23 art spaces, we help amplify over 130 exhibitions annually through this monthly activation.

Civic Collaborations and Cultural Programming:
Through partnerships with organizations like the Oakland Museum of California and Eastside Arts Alliance, we host civic events such as City Council candidate forums focused on the arts. Our annual Oakland Style Week program, in partnership with Visit Oakland, showcases our community’s visual arts scene through curated tours and exhibitions. In 2025, OAM helped activate Oakland for NEXUS: SF/Bay Area Black Art Week, an annual celebration of Black creativity launched by San Francisco’s Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD).