--- title: 36th Annual Tephra ICA Arts Festival description: Juried outdoor art festival in Reston, VA, May 15-16, 2027, with $5,500 in cash awards and booth fees $575-$1,875. url: https://www.artsume.com/programs/766e9952-a159-4f92-ac5f-fd0417a5d9c1 type: program status: open createdAt: "2026-10-24" updatedAt: "2026-10-24" programType: Festival/fair organization: Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art (Tephra ICA) organizationUrl: https://www.artsume.com/o/tephra-institute-of-contemporary-art deadline: "2027-01-03" entryFee: 55 USD location: Reston Town Center, Reston, VA, United States isOnline: false compensationRange: "$5,500 total in cash awards: ten $500 Awards of Excellence and one $500 Judith Forst People's Choice Award, plus award winners are jury-exempt the following year." disciplines: - artisanal food - ceramics - digital art - drawing and pastels - glass - graphics and printmaking - jewelry - metal - 2d mixed media - 3d mixed media - painting - photography - textiles - sculpture - wood --- # 36th Annual Tephra ICA Arts Festival **Hosted by:** Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art (Tephra ICA) **Type:** Festival/fair | **Location:** Reston Town Center, Reston, VA, United States | **Deadline:** January 3, 2027 | **Entry fee:** $55 ## About This Program ### About This Call The 36th Annual Tephra ICA Arts Festival is a competitive, juried outdoor art festival held May 15-16, 2027 at Reston Town Center in Reston, VA. The festival is consistently rated as one of the best outdoor art festivals in the country for both the quality of artwork presented and exceptional artist hospitality. It is produced by Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art, a 501c3 non-profit with a 50-year history promoting innovative contemporary art. Funds generated support the institution's year-round exhibitions and educational programs, which are free and open to the public. The festival attracts 40,000+ art-educated patrons from the Washington, DC metropolitan region and beyond. ### Artist Benefits - Convenient load-in/load-out on Friday, May 14 (9am-3:30pm) - Free parking in onsite garages (height restrictions: 6'8" or 8'2") - Free parking for oversized vehicles and trailers offsite - Reduced hotel rates at the Hyatt Regency - Daily water and snacks - Booth sitters - $5,500 in cash awards (winners are jury-exempt the next year) - Complimentary Festival Award Breakfast tickets - 24-hour security - Extensive marketing and PR - Year-round promotion on the Tephra ICA website Tent rentals (10'x7' or 10'x9' with 10'x20' sidewalls) are available on a first-come, first-served basis. EZ-up or lightweight pop-up tents are not permitted due to wind concerns. ### Jury Process Artist excellence in original work is the sole selection criterion. A blind jury process reviews digital images submitted by artists (4 images of art plus 1 booth image) evaluated by three art professionals. Artists are assigned numbers and judged only on images, with identity undisclosed to jurors. ### Fees Application fee: $55 until January 3, 2027; $65 from January 4-17, 2027. Booth fee deadline is March 8, 2027. Jury notification is February 8, 2027. Booth fees range from $575-$1,875 depending on size and location category (Premium, Standard, or Value). ### Calendar - September 15, 2026: Application Open - $55 Jury Fee - January 3, 2027: Preferred Application Deadline - January 4-17, 2027: Late Application Jury Fee $65 - January 25-29, 2027: Jury Deliberations - February 8, 2027: Artist Notification - March 8, 2027: Booth Fee Deadline - March 20, 2027: COI listing Tephra ICA as additionally insured due - March 30, 2027: Booth Assignments Sent by Email - May 14, 2027 (Friday): Set up 9am to 3:30pm - May 15, 2027 (Saturday): Show Hours 10am to 6pm - May 16, 2027 (Sunday): Show Hours 11am to 5pm, Breakdown 5pm-9pm An invitation to participate does not guarantee booth space; more artists are invited than there are available spaces, and any invited artist who has not paid their booth fee once the show reaches capacity will be moved to the waitlist. ### Booth Pricing - Premium Booth: $875 (10'x10' inline) | $1000 (10'x10' Corner) | $1300 (10'x15' Inline) | $1500 (10'x15' Corner) | $1750 (10'x20' Inline Corner) | $1875 (10'x20' Corner) - Standard Booth: $675 (10'x10' inline) | $800 (10'x10' Corner) | $1000 (10'x15') | $1300 (10'x15' Corner) | $1550 (10'x20' Inline Corner) | $1675 (10'x20' Corner) - Value Booth: $575 (10'x10' inline) | $700 (10'x10' Corner) | $860 (10'x15') | $985 (10'x15' Corner) | $1150 (10'x20' Inline Corner) | $1275 (10'x20' Corner) Certificate of Insurance naming Tephra ICA as additionally insured is required 45 days before the show. Multiple applications are permitted for different media categories; jewelry requires a separate application. ### Artist Awards Tephra ICA recognizes outstanding artwork through ten (10) Awards of Excellence and one (1) Judith Forst People's Choice Award. Jurors visit artist booths on Saturday, May 15 and assess them for quality, originality, consistency, and display. Awardees each receive a $500 cash prize, a blue ribbon to display on their booth, and are automatically juried into the following year's Festival (they must still complete an application; the application fee is waived). ### Rules and Regulations 1. Original Work & Artist-Made Requirement: all artwork must be original and handcrafted by the applying artist(s). Artwork produced by a production studio, employees, assistants, or other third parties is not permitted. 2. Artist Attendance & Identification: artists must be present in their booths during all open hours of the Festival, except for brief breaks when relieved by an authorized booth sitter. A valid photo ID is required at check-in, and artists must wear their Festival Name Badge during all Festival hours. 3. Juried Body of Work: artists may exhibit and sell only work within the category or categories for which they were accepted. 4. Festival Compliance: non-compliant artwork may be removed from display and/or a booth may be closed; violations may result in dismissal and forfeiture of all fees paid. 5. Artwork Security: each exhibiting artist is solely responsible for the security and protection of their artwork, booth, display, equipment, and personal belongings. 6. Insurance: all participating artists are required to maintain appropriate liability insurance coverage and provide a current Certificate of Insurance (COI) listing Tephra ICA as additionally insured. 7. Booth Sharing & Prohibited Work: booth sharing is not permitted. Buy-sell merchandise, imported work, work made from kits or commercial molds, commercially manufactured merchandise, t-shirts, candles, and weapons are not permitted. 8. 2D Reproductions: all reproductions must be clearly identified as "Reproduction." At least 80% of displayed wall artwork must be original paintings. 9. Artist Statement: artists should prominently display an Artist Statement in their booth describing the techniques, materials, and processes used to create their work. 10. Overnight Parking & Camping: camping or overnight sleeping in any vehicle is strictly prohibited. ### Booth Information All booth spaces are located on asphalt in marked spaces measuring 10'x10'5". All booths must be weighted with at least 65lbs per leg attached at the frame (total weight per tent 260lbs) per Fire Marshal standards. Electricity is not provided. Security is provided by Festival Management, but anything left in the booth overnight is at the artist's own risk. No early breakdown is permitted. ### Refund and Cancellation Policy The application fee is non-refundable. Cancellations prior to March 15, 2027 incur an $80 cancellation fee. No refunds are issued for cancellations made after March 15. Contact: Robin Markowitz, Festival Director, rmarkowitz@tephraica.org, 703-471-9242 or 202-251-0637. ## Eligibility & Requirements - **Disciplines:** artisanal food, ceramics, digital art, drawing and pastels, glass, graphics and printmaking, jewelry, metal, 2d mixed media, 3d mixed media, painting, photography, textiles, sculpture, wood - **Note:** You must apply separately for Jewelry; you cannot showcase jewelry unless accepted in that category. Multiple applications are permitted when an artist has work in different media categories, up to three applications. Buy/sell merchandise is not allowed in any category. Accepted application types include both Artist and Non-Artist Vendor. ### Additional Requirements - 4 images of original artwork - 1 booth image (no identifiable signage or the artist in the image) - Application fee: $55 (through January 3, 2027) or $65 (January 4-17, 2027) - Certificate of Insurance (COI) naming Tephra ICA as additionally insured, due 45 days before the show ## Compensation & Benefits $5,500 total in cash awards: ten $500 Awards of Excellence and one $500 Judith Forst People's Choice Award, plus award winners are jury-exempt the following year. **Includes:** Prize Tephra ICA recognizes outstanding artwork through ten (10) Awards of Excellence and one (1) Judith Forst People's Choice Award, each a $500 cash prize. Awardees also receive a blue ribbon and are automatically juried into the following year's Festival, though they must still submit an application (with the fee waived). ## Timeline - **Opens:** October 24, 2026 - **Deadline:** January 3, 2027 - **Program Start:** May 15, 2027 - **Program End:** May 16, 2027 ## Contact **Contact:** Robin Markowitz **Email:** rmarkowitz@tephraica.org **Phone:** 703-471-9242 ## How to Apply Apply at: https://www.zapplication.org/event-info.php?ID=14895