--- title: Cottonwood Art Festival Spring 2027 description: >- Juried fine art festival at Cottonwood Park, Richardson, Texas, May 1-2, 2027, with about 200 artists. $35 application fee. url: 'https://www.artsume.com/programs/0acd384c-9ad1-44a6-a78b-737e45ba4db8' type: program status: open createdAt: '2026-09-23' updatedAt: '2026-10-06' programType: Festival/fair organization: Cottonwood Art Festival organizationUrl: 'https://www.artsume.com/o/cottonwood-art-festival' deadline: '2026-12-08' entryFee: 35 USD location: 'Cottonwood Park, Richardson, TX, United States' isOnline: false compensationRange: >- Artists retain all revenue from sales of their work; no payment to artists is stated. --- # Cottonwood Art Festival Spring 2027 **Hosted by:** Cottonwood Art Festival **Type:** Festival/fair | **Location:** Cottonwood Park, Richardson, TX, United States | **Deadline:** December 8, 2026 | **Entry fee:** $35 ## About This Program ### About This Call The award-winning Cottonwood Art Festival is a premier juried art show featuring more than 200 talented artists showcasing their work beneath towering oak trees in a beautiful lakeside setting. Recognized as one of the nation's top fine art festivals, Cottonwood continues to uphold its reputation as a first-class event with a rich history spanning more than 58 years. ### Summary Located in Richardson, Texas, just minutes from Dallas, the award-winning Cottonwood Art Festival is a premier juried art show featuring more than 200 talented artists showcasing their work beneath towering oak trees in a beautiful lakeside setting. Recognized as one of the nation's top fine art festivals, Cottonwood continues to uphold its reputation as a first-class event with a rich history spanning more than 58 years. Produced by the City of Richardson, the festival attracts a vibrant and culturally diverse audience of loyal art collectors, enthusiasts, and families who value creativity, craftsmanship, and artistic expression. Beyond the exceptional artwork, Cottonwood offers a dynamic weekend of entertainment and experiences, including live music on two stages, a Friday evening gala for artists and guests, an interactive children's art area, and much more. Artists are invited to apply for the opportunity to exhibit their work and become part of one of Texas' most celebrated and longstanding fine art festivals, May 1-2, 2027. ### Festival Fact Sheet - Location: Cottonwood Park, 1321 W. Belt Line Rd, Richardson, TX 75080 - Festival Date and Hours: Saturday, May 1, 10a - 7p; Sunday, May 2, 10a – 5p - Sales: Artists retain all revenue from the sale of their work and are responsible for state and local sales tax - Images: 4 images of work + 1 booth image - Monitor Jury: Images viewed remotely and online as submitted (images 1-5) - Jurors: 5 paid. The jury includes 2 artists and 3 art industry professionals - Jury Format: Artists are evaluated by jury members on a scale of 1–10 during the first round of judging. Scores are used to establish a ranked pool of artists within each category who are eligible to advance to the second round of judging, if applicable - Jury/Application Fee: $35 per application - Multiple Applications: Artists may apply in different media categories, but not with the same body of work. Artists with distinctly separate bodies of work within one medium must apply with multiple applications - Booth Fee: $500 single booth, $1,000 double booth (limited availability), $100 electricity per booth - Booth Space: Estimated 13' x 13' booth space. A limited number of double booths are available - Artist Presence: Artists are required to be present at their assigned booth throughout the entire duration of the festival - No. of Invited Artists: Approx. 200 - No. of Artists Exempt from Jury: Approx. 10 (at the discretion of the Festival Director) ### Artist Amenities - Two-day set-up schedule for artists - Artist Set-up and Take-down assistance by local Boy Scout Troop (Artist Relations Team) - Exclusive Friday night invite to Artist and Festival VIP dinner, including a fully catered dinner, drinks, and entertainment - Designated Artist Hospitality Area with continental breakfast, afternoon snacks, chilled water, and private restroom - Responsive website and integrated social media campaign with over 35,000+ followers - Event Guide for patrons with map, artists' names, and booth locations - Complimentary Festival T-Shirt for exhibiting artists - Fully staffed artist relations team (local Boy Scout Troop) available to assist with load-in and out, as well as booth sitting throughout the festival weekend - Comprehensive emergency/evacuation plan with 24-hour weather monitoring - 24 Hour security and the City of Richardson Police presence - Discounted hotel rates at designated hotel locations within Richardson - Extensive marketing campaign to include the entire DFW region and the state of Texas - Free admission and free parking for all attendees ### Jury Process Approximately 200 artists will exhibit at the Cottonwood Art Festival, and 190 spots will be available for applicants this year. These spots will be determined through a competitive monitor jury process, where each artist is scored by jury members on a scale of 1-10 in the first round, creating a ranked group of artists in each category deemed qualified to advance to the second round after reviewing submitted images and artist statements. The scoring for the second round is on a 1 - 10 scale. The third and final round will encourage discussion. Jurors have the choice of revising their scores, and final scores are then recorded. The top scorers in each category receive an invitation to the show. ### Rules and Regulations All submitted applications through Zapplication are reviewed and juried before acceptance is offered. Previous Festival participation does not guarantee acceptance, and each Applicant understands that the city may reject an Applicant for any or no reason. Artists may jury in more than one category, but not with the same body of work. Artists may only exhibit work in the medium(s) in which they are juried, and all work exhibited must be original art produced by the exhibiting artist(s). Work done by a production studio, in classes or workshops, "Buy-Sell" and/or imports, work from kits, commercial designs, and derivative work are prohibited. Original art must occupy more than 75% of the applicant's booth space. ### Booth Information and Fees Upon acceptance, artists may purchase a single booth for $500, or a double booth for $1,000 (first-come, first-served basis, with limited availability). Each artist will be provided an estimated 13' x 13' booth space for their tent. Artists are to provide their own display booth, racks, and/or tables in order to display their work in an outdoor environment. ### Refund and Cancellation Policy A refund of paid booth fee(s), less a $50 administrative fee, is available through March 9, 2027. Refund requests must be submitted in writing via email, by the artist only. ## Eligibility & Requirements - **Geographic Eligibility:** International - **Disciplines:** All disciplines - **Note:** Artists may only exhibit work in the medium(s) in which they are juried, and all work exhibited must be original art produced by the exhibiting artist(s). Work done by a production studio, in classes or workshops, "Buy-Sell" and/or imports, work from kits, commercial designs, and derivative work are prohibited. No machine tooling, machine-screened patterns, or other forms of mass production are permitted on work crafted from fibers, including basketry, embroidery, weaving, leatherwork, tapestry, and papermaking. No factory-produced wearable items, regardless of additional modification or enhancement, may be exhibited. Only limited edition, signed, and numbered reproductions of artworks are allowed, and original art must occupy more than 75% of the applicant's booth space. ### Additional Requirements - 5 images total (4 images of work + 1 booth shot) - Artist statement (used during jury review) - Application fee ($35 per application) - Signed Artist Agreement (upon acceptance) - Insurance documents (upon acceptance) ## Compensation & Benefits Artists retain all revenue from sales of their work; no payment to artists is stated. ## Timeline - **Opens:** August 30, 2026 - **Deadline:** December 8, 2026 - **Program Start:** May 1, 2027 - **Program End:** May 2, 2027 ## Contact **Contact:** Dianna Lawrence, CFEE, Festival Director **Email:** dianna.lawrence@cor.gov **Phone:** 972-744-4580 ## How to Apply Apply at: https://www.zapplication.org/event-info.php?ID=14616