Savannah Arts Festival 2027

Summary

A new juried fine arts and fine craft event created to bring exceptional artists directly into one of the South's most recognized and heavily visited destinations.

Savannah offers something few festival markets can match: a nationally recognized arts community, millions of annual visitors, a thriving Historic District, strong tourism and hospitality industries, and an audience already drawn to art, architecture, design and culture.

Forsyth Park is Savannah's front yard. Surrounded by the Historic District and its distinctive homes, hotels, restaurants and businesses, the park is a destination for residents and visitors alike. Rather than asking patrons to discover a new venue, we are bringing the art directly to a place where Savannah already gathers.

The Savannah Arts Festival will be juried and artist-focused, featuring original, artist-made work across a variety of mediums. Our emphasis is on quality presentation, thoughtful artist selection and building an event with long-term potential.

For artists, an inaugural festival also means opportunity: the chance to enter a new market, establish your presence and become part of the event from its very first year.

Categories

• 2-D Mixed Media: Includes more than one type of physical material such as collage, papermaking, encaustic, pen and ink, paint, pencil, watercolor, or photography. The finished art is suitable for wall mounting.
• 3-D Mixed Media: Includes more than one type of physical material such as mosaic, papier mache, clay, fiber, glass, metal, wood, or any other 3-dimensional objects.
• Ceramics: Original shaped and fired clay including earthenware, porcelain, and raku.
• Digital Art: Two-dimensional works from which the original image is manipulated by the artist using a computer using programs such as Drawing, Illustrator, Paint, or other software applications.
• Drawing & Printmaking: Original drawings made with pen, pencil, charcoal, pastels or chalk. The printmaking process may include pulled plates, linoleum prints, etching, engraving, silkscreen, or lithography. All prints must be signed and numbered by the artist. Photocopies are not permitted.
• Fiber: Works created from fibers including basketry, batik, weaving, papermaking, knitting, and quilting. The embellishment of manufactured materials is not permitted.
• Glass: An object made of glass including blown, fused, stained, cast, and molded. The embellishment of manufactured materials is not permitted.
• Handicraft: Handmade items made by the artist from manufactured, recycled, or repurposed materials transforming the combined materials into a unique product in a cohesive collection. A complete description of items is required.
• Jewelry: All Jewelry is crafted from metal, glass, stone, clay, or other materials. Commercial molds or casts are not permitted. At least 50% of the organic materials in the finished product used must be produced by the artist.
• Metal: Functional and non-sculptural works incorporating metal.
• Painting: The use of oils, acrylics, watercolors, and tempera suitable for hanging.
• Photography: Prints, transparencies, or digital images made from the artist's original negative or taken with a digital camera that has been processed by the artist.
• Sculpture: Three-dimensional work done in any individual medium.
• Wood & Furniture: Original works in wood that are built, turned, carved, or tooled. Embellished manufactured wood items are not permitted.

Prohibited Items

• T-shirts and commercial clothing
• Posters
• Manufactured toys
• Commercially manufactured or reproduced items (resale)
• Jewelry made from more than 50% manufactured components
• Any item that employs the use of commercially available molds or patterns

Amenities

• Friday load-in
• Free parking nearby
• Designated Festival Hotline available during event hours
• 24 hour onsite security

Required Licenses

City of Savannah Business License required ($85, good for 1 calendar year) for first time attendees. Artists living in a county that immediately surrounds Chatham county are exempt from this requirement. Artists should list the event address as their business address. This can be completed after acceptance to the show and is not required prior to application.

Rules

• The Festival provides only the ground space for exhibits. Each Exhibitor must provide and prepare his/her own displays, using white top tents of EZ UP quality or higher; all tents must be weighted.
• Exhibitors shall be responsible for obtaining any required licenses, permits, or approvals and for paying any applicable taxes or fees.
• The Festival is a rain or shine event. No refunds will be given for cancellations after the jury date/prior to the event date, or for no-shows. All refunds will receive a $50 administration fee.
• All Artist Market merchandise must be original, handmade, and created by the Exhibitor. Original art must occupy at least 50% of the artist's space. All artwork on display must be for sale.
• Artists must be present and operational with their work for the duration of the Festival. The maximum number of occupants per booth may not exceed two.
• Only individual artists or two-person collaborative artists are permitted to submit an application. Applications received from artist groups will be returned or rejected.
• Booth sharing among non-collaborating artists is not permitted.

Jury Details

Average number of applications submitted each year: 150. Average number of artists selected from the jury: 100. Average number exempt from jury who are invited: 3. Jurors score applications on a 1-10 scale; 3 jurors score separately from various locations. Images are viewed on a computer monitor and sorted in random order within a medium category. The jury process is closed. Social media presence is considered.