Emerging Artist Program

In addition to our artist application which is open to national and international exhibitors, the Columbus Arts Festival now offers a separate application to local artists who are new to exhibiting at art fairs through GCAC’s new Emerging Artists program.

The Emerging Artist program is designed specifically for artists who have extremely limited or no experience exhibiting and selling their artwork at outdoor venues. Artists who apply in this category must be residents of Franklin or surrounding counties in Ohio which include Union, Delaware, Licking, Fairfield, Pickaway, Fayette and Madison.

This new program has been designed to help promote central Ohio artists who are new to presenting their work at festivals.  This year there were 36 applications to this program and 11 artists were selected by the Festival jurors. In addition to a lower booth fee Emerging Artists also receive assistance from Festival staff on how to best present their work to the public.

Please note that the application process for the 2012 Emerging Artist program is now CLOSED.

Local artists who wish to be considered for the 2013 Columbus Arts Festival's Emerging Artist program apply starting in October this year through ZAPPlication™, an online application tool, by submitting four digital images of their work and one image of their booth display. A jury panel, selected by the GCAC staff, conducts a blind jury process, where jurors review the artists’ images and technical statements without any biographical information about the artists. The top scores, allowing for a balanced show across mediums, are invited to participate in the Festival.

For detailed information on the application process for Visual/Emerging Artists, download a complete Prospectus and information about the required Artist Statement (including sample statement). Click here to see the  Bios of the 2012 Jurors. For more information about the Emerging Artist program, contact Festival coordinator Shana Scott at sscott@gcac.org.