--- title: Worthington Arts Festival 2027 description: 33rd annual fine art & craft festival on Worthington Village Green, Ohio, hosted by McConnell Arts Center; 120 artists, blind jury. url: https://www.artsume.com/programs/945f12a6-cb52-413c-9de9-fa6f1ac8256b type: program status: upcoming createdAt: "2026-09-23" updatedAt: "2026-10-06" programType: Festival/fair organization: McConnell Arts Center of Worthington organizationUrl: https://www.artsume.com/o/mcconnell-arts-center-of-worthington deadline: "2027-02-01" entryFee: 50 USD location: Worthington Village Green, Worthington, OH, United States isOnline: false --- # Worthington Arts Festival 2027 **Hosted by:** McConnell Arts Center of Worthington **Type:** Festival/fair | **Location:** Worthington Village Green, Worthington, OH, United States | **Deadline:** February 1, 2027 | **Entry fee:** $50 ## About This Program > "Fine Art and Fine Craft" ### About This Call The Worthington Arts Festival is one of Central Ohio's premier Fine Art festivals, produced by the McConnell Arts Center in coordination with the City of Worthington. The festival draws nearly 30,000 visitors and 120 artists annually. ### Summary This community event is produced by the McConnell Arts Center in coordination with the City of Worthington. Drawing nearly 30,000 visitors and 120 artists annually, the Worthington Arts Festival builds pathways to experience the joy and wonder of the arts. We have returned to our roots at our original location on the Worthington Village Green. Located at the intersection of High Street and 161, the festival is featured on all four quadrants of the park and is just a short walk from the businesses and restaurants of historic Old Worthington. ### General Information Celebrating its 33rd year, the Worthington Arts Festival is returning again to the Worthington Village Green, located at the intersection of High Street and State Route 161 in Historic Old Worthington Ohio. The festival spans two days and caters to 30,000 attendees and 120 artists. Set Up/Registration: Friday, June 18, 2027 between 8:00am – 5:00pm Saturday, June 19, 2027 between 7:00am – 8:00am (limited to special cases) Show Hours: Saturday, June 19, 2027, 9:00am – 5:00 pm (soft open at 8:00 AM to coincide with Farmer's Market) Sunday, June 20, 2027 11:00am - 5:00 pm ### Important Dates - November 1, 2026 - Artist application available on www.ZAPPlication.org - February 1, 2027 - Online application due by midnight (EST) - March 15, 2027 - Notification emailed to accepted, waitlisted and not invited artists - May 1, 2027 - Full payment and acceptance due through Zapplication.org - May 1, 2027 - Deadline to cancel and receive booth refund (minus $25 admin. fee) - May 1, 2027 – Booth Request Questionnaire due - June 1, 2027 – Proof of Insurance due - June 18, 2027 – Artist load-in and set-up - June 19-20, 2027 – 33rd 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. ### Media Categories - Ceramics: Original clay and porcelain work excluding jewelry. 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 signed as a limited edition. 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 commercially machine-tooled, machine-screened patterns or mass production permitted. - Glass: All handmade works that are functional or decorative by design and are kiln-formed or crafted by blowing, molding, or casting. No forms of mass production permitted. - Jewelry: All jewelry produced from metal, glass, clay, fiber, paper, plastic, or other materials. No commercial casts, molds or production studio work allowed. - Leatherwork: The primary material is leather including belts, handbags, wearables and sculptural work. All factory-produced items are not acceptable. - Metalwork: Includes all non-jewelry works crafted from metals. No forms of commercial or mass production allowed. - Mixed Media: 2D and 3D works incorporating more than one type of physical material. - 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. - Printmaking & Graphics: Printed works for which the artist hand-manipulated the plates, stones, or screens. Prints must be signed and numbered as limited editions. - Sculpture: Three-dimensional original work created in any medium. - Wearable Art: Handmade hats, belts, and clothing of any kind. All designs and creations must be designed, patterned, cut, and assembled by the artist. - Wood: Original works in wood that are hand-tooled, machine-worked, turned or carved. - Other: For mediums that do not fit into the above categories; artists must provide a detailed description of their process and materials. ### Rules and Regulations The Worthington Arts Festival considers its enforcement of the rules its exclusive right and responsibility. No mass-production, buy and sell, or manufactured work is permitted. No work by apprentices, studios, or employees will be accepted. Commercial agents, dealers, or manufacturers are not eligible to enter. Artists may sell reproductions of their original work in numbered limited editions not exceeding 250 of a single work, no more than 10% of the overall visual space displayed in the booth, clearly labeled. Artists are required to display their booth number and an Artist Statement (including a photograph of the artist) in their booth during the festival. All artists must be present for the duration of the festival. An ID is required at check-in. Artists retain 100% of their sales and are responsible for the collection and reporting of all applicable sales taxes. Ohio sales tax is 8%. EZ-Up tents may be used only if WHITE, and must be weighted with 40 pound+ weights per leg. No stakes are allowed. ### Booth Information and Fees Non-refundable Jury/Application fee: $50. If applying for more than one medium, a separate application fee is required. Booth fee: 10ft x 10ft: $330 10ft x 20ft: $430 The Worthington Arts Festival does not provide any tents for artists. Exhibiting artists are responsible for load-in. Free parking is available in designated lots. No electrical, dumping, or running water is available. Upon acceptance, exhibitors must provide a Certificate of Insurance naming the McConnell Arts Center as an additional insured, with a minimum coverage of $1,000,000. ### Refund and Cancellation Policy Application fees are non-refundable. May 1, 2027 is the last day to rescind acceptance and receive a booth refund (less a $25 admin fee). There are no refunds after May 1, 2027. ### Jury Details Average number of applications submitted each year: 300 Average number of artists selected from the jury to participate: 120 Average number of exempt from jury artists invited to participate: 3 Best in Show, 2nd & 3rd place winners are automatically juried into the festival for the next year. Any Buy/Sell or Mass production is ineligible. Images are viewed by jurors on a computer monitor. Within a medium category, applications are sorted and viewed in random order. Jurors score applications on a 1-5 scale. Three jurors score applications, a single jury panel scores all medium categories, and jurors score separately from various locations. The jury process is closed. ## Eligibility & Requirements - **Geographic Eligibility:** International - **Disciplines:** All disciplines - **Note:** Participation is open to artists in all Fine Art and Fine Craft mediums. 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. No mass-production, buy and sell, or manufactured work is permitted; no work by apprentices, studios, or employees will be accepted; commercial agents, dealers, or manufacturers are not eligible to enter. All artists must be present to exhibit all days of the festival, including collaborating artists. ### Additional Requirements - 5 images total (4 work images plus 1 required booth photo, no artist name visible for blind jury) - Non-refundable jury/application fee of $50 per medium category applied to - Certificate of Insurance (upon acceptance, minimum $1,000,000 coverage naming McConnell Arts Center) - Booth Request Questionnaire (upon acceptance) ## Timeline - **Opens:** October 31, 2026 - **Deadline:** February 1, 2027 - **Program Start:** June 19, 2027 - **Program End:** June 20, 2027 ## Contact **Contact:** Lindsay Lisanti **Email:** llisanti@mcconnellarts.org ## How to Apply Apply at: https://www.zapplication.org/event-info.php?ID=14874