This week the Marker Seven team launched a new site for ArtSpan, the San Francisco-based nonprofit that builds community around San Francisco visual arts. The new site builds a stronger connection between local artists with the public.

The launch of the new site to coincides with the kickoff off of artists registration for ArtSpan’s 2011 San Francisco Open Studios. SF Open Studios is the oldest and largest open studios program in the country, featuring an annual, month-long art event in October that showcases over 900 emerging and established San Francisco artists in their studios. 

The public now can easily search the ArtSpan site for artists by type of art or the artist’s name. Each artist has a separate profile page where visitors can view an artist’s gallery. Links take visitors directly to the artist’s own Website and make it possible to connect via email and social media channels like Facebook and Twitter. In support of OpenStudios, the artist's page will include information on when to visit the artist’s studio (with an address) this October when OpenStudios