Piedmont Park Arts Festival: (18th Annual) 2027

Summary

The Piedmont Park Arts Festival is a juried, outdoor fine arts festival held annually each August in the heart of Midtown Atlanta's iconic Piedmont Park. Produced by Atlanta Foundation for Public Spaces (AFFPS), the festival is a long-standing and highly anticipated summer arts destination, attracting tens of thousands of art-loving patrons from across Metro Atlanta and beyond.

This two-day festival features up to 250 carefully selected artists representing a wide range of media, including painting, photography, sculpture, jewelry, glass, metal, leather, wood, fiber, and mixed media. Artists are jury-selected to ensure high quality, originality, and diversity of work, creating a vibrant marketplace that appeals to both seasoned collectors and first-time buyers.

Set against the lush backdrop of Atlanta's most beloved public park, the event offers a welcoming, walkable layout with strong visibility and steady foot traffic throughout the weekend.

Festival Hours: Saturday 10:00 am - 5:00 pm, Sunday 11:00 am - 5:00 pm

Important dates

• Applications accepted from August 19, 2026
• Application deadline: June 22, 2027
• Wait list released as deemed necessary, category by category
• Event dates: August 21-22, 2027
• Load-in: August 20, 2027 (Friday only, 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM)

Late applications may be accepted at the discretion of the Director and included on the Wait List.

Categories

• 2-D Mixed Media: more than one physical material such as collage, papermaking, encaustic, pen and ink, paint, pencil, watercolor, or photography. Suitable for wall mounting.
• 3-D Mixed Media: more than one physical material such as mosaic, papier mache, clay, fiber, glass, metal, wood, or other 3-dimensional objects.
• Ceramics: original shaped and fired clay including earthenware, porcelain, and raku.
• Digital Art: two-dimensional works manipulated by the artist on a computer.
• Drawing & Printmaking: original drawings in pen, pencil, charcoal, pastels or chalk. Prints must be signed and numbered by the artist. Photocopies are not permitted.
• Fiber: basketry, batik, weaving, papermaking, knitting, and quilting. Embellishment with manufactured materials is not permitted.
• Glass: blown, fused, stained, cast, and molded glass. Embellishment with manufactured materials is not permitted.
• Handcrafted: handmade items from manufactured, recycled, or repurposed materials, transformed into a unique product in a cohesive collection. A complete description of the items is required.
• Jewelry: crafted from metal, glass, stone, clay, or other materials. Commercial molds or casts are not permitted. At least 50% of the organic materials must be produced by the artist.
• Metal: functional and non-sculptural works incorporating metal.
• Painting: oils, acrylics, watercolors, and tempera suitable for hanging.
• Photography: prints, transparencies, or digital images from the artist's original negative or taken with a digital camera and processed by the artist.
• Sculpture: three-dimensional work 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 commercially available molds or patterns

Rules and regulations

The Festival provides only the ground space for exhibits. Each exhibitor must provide and prepare his or her own displays. Exhibitors must use white top tents of EZ UP quality or higher, and all tents must be weighted.

Artists must be present and operational with their work for the duration of the Festival. No commercial agents, dealers, or salespeople may operate an artist's booth. The maximum number of occupants per booth may not exceed two.

Only individual artists or two-person collaborative artists may submit an application. Applications from artist groups will be returned or rejected. Booth sharing among non-collaborating artists is not permitted.

All Artist Market merchandise must be original, handmade, and created by the exhibitor. Reproductions must be clearly identified as such. Original art must occupy at least 50% of the artist's space. All artwork on display must be for sale.

Artists may only show work in categories approved by the Jury.

All participating artists must present identification at check-in.

Weights

Professional weights of at least 45 lbs. on each tent leg are required. Staking, tying to trees, or tying to lamp posts is not permitted. Artists who arrive without weights will not be permitted to set up and will forfeit their participation fee.

Booth information and fees

• Application fee: $30
• Standard booth fee: $375
• Premier booth with extra space behind for tent: $425 (limited to 15), grassy area
• Premier corner: $500 (only three available, must be approved)
• Double booth fee: $750 (limited availability)
• Corner upgrade: $100 (limited availability)
• Electricity: $100 (limited availability)
• Late application fee: $50 (after the July 9th deadline)

Assigned booth spaces are approximately 10 feet deep and 11 feet wide or greater. Double booths are also available. All work exhibited must be confined to the assigned space(s). Artists provide their own means of displaying their work.

Load-in and load-out

Artists unload near their booth during set-up and tear-down, and may load in only during the designated times. Artists must check in with a photo ID. Artists are responsible for hand-carting additional merchandise after the designated load-in time.

Amenities

• Water provided for artists on Saturday and Sunday
• Booth sitters available during event hours upon request, as available
• Festival hotline available during event hours
• Friday load-in
• 24-hour onsite security

Parking

On-street parking is available in the surrounding neighborhood. Paid parking options will also be available for festival-goers and artists. A parking pass must be displayed on the dashboard at all times while at the event.

Waitlist and no-shows

A waitlist will be maintained. Waitlisted artists may be contacted when the Wait List is released one day before the event. Artists who have not checked in by Saturday at 8:00 a.m. are considered no-shows, are not eligible for refunds, and forfeit their assigned space(s) to a waitlisted artist.

Rain or shine

There is no rain date, and fees will not be refunded in the case of inclement weather. The event takes place rain or shine.

Sales tax

Artists are responsible for collecting and reporting sales tax. The current sales tax rate for this event is 8% (Georgia 4%, Fulton County 3%, City of Atlanta 1%).

Refund and cancellation policy

Cancellations up to 90 days before the event have fees applied to the next scheduled show. There are no refunds within 60 days of the event. Credits must be used within one calendar year and apply only to the show they were given for. Application and administrative fees are non-refundable. There are no refunds for cancellation due to weather or other causes, and no refunds for removal from the show for breaking rules.

All AFFPS festivals support the Georgia Foundation for Public Spaces, a not-for-profit organization that provides scholarships for artists to help them with their artistic careers.

Artists are jury-selected to ensure high quality, originality, and diversity of work.

Artists may only show work in categories approved by the Jury.