Rules/Regulations
Artwork Representation – The work presented for jury must be representative of the work to be shown, with appropriate inventory. Example: If a ceramics artist submits 3 original bowls and one large coffee cup to the jury, the expectation is the artist will bring and sell 75% original bowls in their booth.
Mass-production – No mass-production, buy and sell, or manufactured work is permitted. No work by apprentices, production studios or employees will be accepted. Commercial agents, dealers, or manufacturers are not eligible to enter. All work must be designed and executed by the accepted artist(s) and representative work juried into the show. Exhibiting work not juried into the show may be grounds for removal. The WAF retains the right to bar work from the show if it is deemed to be any of the above at compliance inspections.
Reproductions – Artists may sell reproductions of their original work in signed and numbered limited editions not exceeding 250 of a single work. Reproductions must be archival, matted, & unframed and may not exceed 24″x40″. You must provide clear details on the reproduction process. All reproductions must be clearly marked as such. Reproductions can be no more than 10% of the overall work displayed in your booth.
Storage and Presentation – Any storage that detracts from the overall booth or festival appearance will be considered an infraction and can result in the artist being asked to leave. There is 1 foot of storage space available between each tent. Storage cannot interfere with another artist’s booth space or tent. Storage space will be shared amongst neighboring artists.
Signage – Artists are required to display their booth number and an Artist Statement including a photograph of the artist in their booth during the festival.
Multiple Categories – Artists may apply in multiple categories. Each medium is evaluated separately, and appropriate application fees must be submitted. If application is in more than one category, only the booth slide may be repeated.
Attendance – All artists must be present for the duration of the festival. An ID is required at check-in. If a collaborating artist is listed, the collaborating artist must also show ID at check-in and be present for the full duration of the festival.
Sales Tax – Artists retain 100% of their sales and are responsible for the collection and reporting of all applicable sales taxes. Ohio sales tax is 7.50% www.tax.ohio.gov.
Weather or Emergency – Due to the safety of attendees and artists, the Worthington Arts Festival may be paused, cancelled, or delayed due to weather deemed to be inclement. No refunds, partial refunds or application fees will be returned during those times of delay or in the event of a cancellation.
Tent Requirements – EZ-Up tents may be used only if WHITE. Any violation to this rule will result in the removal of the exhibitor. All tents need to be weighted. You must provide 40 pound+ weights per leg to secure your tent in the event of strong winds or storms. The WAF WILL inspect the weighting and security of your tent and if protocol is not properly followed, you will be removed from the festival. NO STAKES are allowed.
APPLICATION FEE:
Non refundable Jury/Application fee: $50. If applying for more than one medium, a separate application fee is required. Collaborations require only one fee.
BOOTH FEE:
10 x 10 $320
10 x 20 $450
If you are accepted into the festival in two separate categories, you will be given one booth.
SET UP:
Friday, June 14, 2024, between 8:00am – 5:00pm
Saturday, June 15, 2024, between 7:00am and 8:00 am (limited to special cases)
The Worthington Arts Festival relocated to the Worthington Village Green in 2023. Artists may only drive on the Village Green Drives and must unload vehicles from that space. Artists are assigned a load-in time and are only permitted to access the site with their vehicles during their assigned time. Failure to arrive within their designated time will result in the artist setting up after all load-in is complete (Friday, 5:00 PM).
The WAF does not provide dollies, hand trucks, wagons, or other moving equipment. Some WAF volunteers may be available to assist, but are not guaranteed.
Please be conscious of other artists’ time and space, and if necessary, unload belongings from your vehicle and then move it to designated parking to allow another artist a close unloading spot.
Free parking is available in designated lots with displayed parking pass. You must notify the MAC if you are camping overnight and must have a pass displayed for camping.
No electrical, dumping, or running water is available.
EZ-Up tents may be used only if WHITE. Any violation to this rule will result in the removal of the exhibitor. All tents need to be weighted. You must provide 40 pound+ weights per leg to secure your tent in the event of strong winds or storms. The WAF WILL inspect the weighting and security of your tent and if protocol is not properly followed, you will be removed from the festival. NO STAKES are allowed.
INSURANCE:
Artists are responsible for proper insurance and protection of work and setup. The Worthington Arts Festival will not be responsible for damage to work or setup. Upon acceptance, exhibitors must provide the Worthington Arts Festival with an appropriate Certificate of Insurance, naming the McConnell Arts Center (NOT the Worthington Arts Festival) as an additional insured pursuant to a general liability insurance policy with a minimum coverage of $1,000,000. Artists will not be permitted to set up without the required insurance information. The artist will only receive their booth assignment on the condition that the Festival team holds the artist’s certificate of insurance, valid for the weekend of the Festival.
May 1, 2024 is the last day to rescind acceptance and receive a booth refund (less a $25 admin fee)
There are no refunds after May 1, 2024.
Due to the safety of attendees and artists, the Worthington Arts Festival may be paused, cancelled, or delayed due to weather deemed to be inclement. No refunds, partial refunds or application fees will be returned during those times of delay or in the event of a cancellation.
Set Up/Registration:
- Friday, June 14, 2024, between 8:00am – 5:00pm
- Saturday, June 15, 2024, between 7:00am – 8:00am (limited to special cases)
Show Hours:
- Saturday, June 15, 2024, 9:00am – 5:00 pm (soft open at 8:00 AM to coincide with Farmer’s Market)
- Sunday, June 16, 2024, 11:00am – 5:00 pm
IMPORTANT DATES
- November 1, 2023 – Artist application available on www.ZAPPlication.org
- February 4, 2024 – Online application due by midnight (EST)
- March 15, 2024 – Notification emailed to accepted, waitlisted and not invited artists
- May 1, 2024 – Full payment, insurance documentation, and acceptance due through Zapplication.org
- May 1, 2024 – Deadline to cancel and receive booth refund (less $25 admin. fee)
- June 14, 2024 – Artist load-in and set-up
- June 15-16, 2024 – 30th Annual Worthington Arts Festival
ELIGIBILITY
We seek to maintain the highest standards for both artists and the viewing public. Participation is open to artists in all Fine Art and Fine Craft mediums.
Exhibitor must provide the jury with four images and one booth photo representative of their work.
The photos submitted must not have a name on them, as the jury is a blind jury. The booth photo must show the entire booth, photoshop imagery of your booth will not be accepted.
Artists wishing to exhibit work produced in more than one category must submit an application, images, and application fee for each category. Only one booth fee is paid. Jewelry, for example, cannot be exhibited with another medium without being accepted through the jury process in the jewelry category.
MEDIA CATEGORIES
Ceramics: Original clay and porcelain work excluding jewelry. If multiple pieces of the same design are displayed, there must be a signature on each piece. Machine-made and/or mass-produced work is not permitted.
Digital Art: Original work for which the original image or the manipulation of other source material was executed by the artist. Work must be mounted or printed on archival quality material and be properly signed as a limited edition. Artist must disclose their printing process during the festival. At this time, AI generated or influenced artwork is not accepted.
Drawing and Pastels: Original work created using dry media including chalk, charcoal, pastels, pencil, wax, crayon, etc. or from the fluid medium of inks and washes applied by pen or brush.
Fiber: All work crafted from fibers, including basketry, embroidery, weaving, tapestry, and papermaking. No factory produced items, regardless of modifications, may be exhibited. Please note: clothing should be submitted under “Wearable Art.”
Glass: All handmade works that are functional or decorative by design and are kiln-formed or have been crafted by blowing, molding, or casting. Works may be etched or engraved. No forms of mass production are permitted.
Jewelry: All jewelry produced from metal, glass, clay, fiber, paper, plastic, or other materials must be entered in this category. No commercial casts, molds or production studio work is allowed. Limited use of pre-made materials, such as beads or small ornamental items, is permitted.
Leatherwork: The primary material is leather, including belts, handbags, wearables and sculptural work. All factory-produced items regardless of additional modification or embellishments by the artist are not acceptable.
Metalwork: Includes all non-jewelry works crafted from metals.
Mixed Media: This medium includes work that use materials or elements from 2 or more of the listed Media Categories. Please note – 3D artworks should be submitted under “Sculpture”.
Painting: Works created in oils, acrylics, gouache, watercolor.
Photography: Includes traditional film photography, hand-colored images, emulsion transfers, and digital photography. All pieces must be signed, numbered and dated in limited editions of no more than 250. Prints must have been processed by the artist and printed under the artist’s direct supervision. The surface on which the photographs are printed must be identified in the description (paper, aluminum, wood, fabric, canvas, etc.). Photographers must disclose and display both their creative and printing processes in their booth during the festival.
Printmaking & Graphics: Printed works for which the artist hand-manipulated the plates, stones, or screens. Prints must be signed and numbered as limited editions. Processes are required to be disclosed.
Sculpture: Three-dimensional original work created in any medium.
Wearable Art: Handmade hats, belts, and clothing of any kind apply in this category. All designs and creations must be designed, cut, and assembled by the artist. Labels must disclose the artist name.
Wood: Original works in wood that are hand-tooled, machine-worked, turned or carved.
Other: Should be used for mediums that do not fit into the above categories. Artists in this category must provide a detailed description of their process and materials.
COLLABORATING ARTISTS:
All artists must be present to exhibit all days of the festival. This includes collaborating artists. If artists apply as collaborating artists, each artist must be present. If each artist is not present, artists will not be permitted to set-up or exhibit. Collaborating artists may only show their joint work. Both names must appear on all application materials. Collaborating artists cannot be added after application is accepted. Maximum of two artists (one applicant and one collaborator.)
ZAPP
If you are submitting an application as a collaborating artist/partner, you must submit the name(s) with the application. Here is how to submit your Zapplication as a collaborating artist:
- Go to “my Profile”: on ZAPP
- Enter one of the two collaborating artists as the primary contact in the profile form (this name will always appear first in the publications and online if accepted)
- After completing the information requested, enter the collaborating artist’s name(s) in the section at the bottom of the profile page.
- This information is carried over to the application for purposes of identifying a collaborative effort.
- You may not add a partner after the jury.
AWARDS:
- $1,000 – Best in Show
- $500 – 2nd Place Merit Award
- $250 – 3rd Place Merit Award
- Honorable Mention
Award winners are accepted into the following year’s show without having to participate in the jury process. Jurors will review artwork on site. You may or may not have the chance to speak with jurors onsite.
Total Applications accepted: 300
Total Invitations: 120
CONTACT INFORMATION:
McConnell Arts Center of Worthington
777 Evening Street
Worthington, OH 43085
arts@mcconnellarts.org
614-431-0329