About This Call
The Big Four Arts Festival is a two-day juried art fair held at Waterfront Park on the Big Four Bridge Lawn in Louisville, KY. The festival takes place September 11-12, 2027 (10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday), with artist setup on Friday, September 10 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. The festival is open to individual and collaborating artists who create original fine art and fine crafts by hand.
Accepted mediums include oil, acrylic, pastel, watercolor, charcoal, pen and ink, pencil, ceramic, fiber art, glass, jewelry, metalwork, photography, printmaking, stonework, woodworking, 3D sculpture, book arts, leather, mixed media, and textile work. Work must be created by the artist(s) and represent current body of work from 2018 forward.
The jury process selects a balanced mix of mediums based on the quality of submitted digital images and artist statements. A panel of three experienced art community professionals reviews applications.
Summary
The Big Four Arts Festival in Louisville, KY has been the most attended (15k+) two-day event ever held at Waterfront Park. The 11th B4AF 2027, the weekend following Labor Day, will be held at Waterfront Park on the Big Four Bridge Lawn.
Permitted Works and Mediums
The Festival is open to individual and collaborating artists who make their own fine art and fine crafts by hand. All work must be original and made by the artist/collaborating artist.
Entry/Application Instructions
Artist applications are processed through ZAPP. All applications posted after 12:00 a.m. midnight EST May 10, 2027 may not be considered. You may submit up to 3 applications per artist profile (each application will incur a separate $35 fee).
For an application to be processed, you must fully complete and submit the online application, including four digital images as specified below, and the $35 non-refundable payment through Zapp using an accepted credit card or Pay Pal.
Images
All artists must submit a total of (4) images for jurying: 3 images (representative of the artist work to be exhibited); 1 of booth (preferably an outside shot of the booth).
Artist Statement
The application will have a field for the artist description of material and technique using 300 characters or less.
Jury Process
Jury is scheduled for May 12th - 18th, 2027. The jury will select a balance of mediums but does not impose limits for any given category. The jury is conducted by a panel of three experienced art community professionals and their selections will be based solely upon the quality of work as illustrated in submitted digital images.
Accepted and Waitlist
Accepted artists will be notified via email or phone no later than May 20, 2027. A reserve list of Waitlist artists will also be selected. Waitlist artists will be notified by phone or email immediately after July 20, 2027, with booth fees due within 20 days of notification for those who wish to confirm.