Applications to participate in the 62nd Columbus Arts Festival, presented by the American Electric Power Foundation, will open for exhibiting visual artists; Emerging Festival Artists; performing artists; caricature, face and other body, portrait, and henna artists; and food vendors on Monday, September 18, 2023. The 62nd-annual festival will take place June 7-9, 2024, on Columbus’ downtown riverfront.

Visual Artists

Applications for exhibiting visual artists are accepted online in 16 categories: 2D Mixed Media, 3D Mixed Media, Ceramics, the Emerging Festival Artist Program, Digital Art (including Digital Photography), Drawing, Fiber, Glass, Jewelry, Leather, Metal (non-sculptural), Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture and Wood.

Each year more than 800 artists apply for up to 225 booth spaces.

Artists are chosen by a panel of experts in a blind jury process in early 2024.

Central Ohio artists are encouraged to apply and, if they are new to exhibiting at large scale Festivals, to consider the Emerging Festival Artist Program, designed specifically for artists with extremely limited or no experience in exhibiting and selling their artwork at national arts festivals.

This program is open to qualifying artists in Franklin and surrounding counties: Delaware, Fairfield, Fayette, Licking, Madison, Pickaway, and Union.

Artists applying for this program should select ‘Emerging Festival Artist Program’ as the category in their application.

Informational meetings for Columbus-area artists who are interested in applying to the Festival are scheduled for three dates this fall:

• Sept. 20, 6-7 p.m. at All People Arts (1865 Parsons Ave.)
• Oct. 18, 12:30-1:30 p.m. at 934 Gallery (934 Cleveland Ave.)
• Nov. 15, 6-7 p.m. at Columbus Metropolitan Library MLK Branch (1467 E. Long St.)

Spanish language services will be available at the Oct. 18 and Nov. 15 meetings. Artists that come from BIPOC communities, LGBTQIA+ communities, artists with disabilities and other historically underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply.

The deadline for visual artist and Emerging Festival Artist applications is 5 p.m. on Friday, December 8, 2023.

Applications for portrait and body artists (caricature, charcoal, temporary tattoo and face painting) are also open and will be due in March 2024.

Big Local Arts Village participant applications will open in mid-February 2024.

For application links, specific deadlines and other details, visit columbusartsfestival.org/apply/visual-artists.

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