Short Description
The organizers of the 2026 ArtFields Festival are pleased to welcome readers who may be interested in submitting their work for this unique celebration of art and community in Lake City, SC. Selected artworks will be featured in one of the Southeast’s largest and most prestigious art events, running from April 10th – May 2nd, 2026, with more than $100,000 in cash prizes available. Accepted pieces will be displayed alongside hundreds of others throughout downtown venues such as galleries, warehouses, restaurants, shops, and more. Thousands of visitors—including art curators, collectors, critics, and media representatives—will encounter the works. The festival offers a distinctive way for art to be presented beyond the traditional white walls of galleries or museums, inviting the public to experience impactful art in unexpected places, from morning coffee shops to local barbershops.
Founded in 2013, ArtFields was created with the mission of elevating the profile of artists living and working in the Southeastern United States. The event transforms the entire town into a vibrant art space, with artworks installed everywhere from boutiques to barbershops, making art accessible to all. The ArtFields team is dedicated to ensuring that each piece is exhibited at its best. Submitting to ArtFields means joining an exhibition and competition that is deeply committed to celebrating both the art itself and the stories of the artists behind it.
Eligibility
a) The artist must have been a resident for at least six (6) consecutive months before the submission date of one of the following twelve (12) states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, or West Virginia.
b) The artist must be eighteen (18) years of age or older on or before November 1, 2025.
c) The artist’s entry must have been completed in or after 2023.
d) The winners of the previous year’s ArtFields Festival Grand Prize, Second Place Prize, People’s Choice 2-D Award, and People’s Choice 3-D Award are not eligible to participate in the subsequent year’s competition.
e) An artist who submits as part of a collaborative group or collective cannot submit as an individual artist; an artist who submits individually cannot submit as part of a collaborative group or collective.
- The artist’s submission must be one single work of art. That single work of art may consist of multiple components, but cannot merely be a grouping of components without a conceptual purpose. All decisions in this respect are at ArtFields’ discretion.
- Artists may submit one 2-D or 3-D artwork in any medium. The submission may be a painting, sculpture, ceramic work, textile work, photograph, drawing, mixed-media work, collage, assemblage, digital or new media work, video or film production, art installation, performance piece, or any other visual art medium.
- Artists may not submit artwork created solely by using Artificial Intelligence (AI) software. Artwork generated solely by AI software will not be considered as created by the submitting artist and will be disqualified
How to Apply
Online Application
Program Benefits & Awards
- Grand Prize – $50,000
- Second Place- $25,000
- People’s Choice 2D – $12,500
- People’s Choice 3D – $12,500
- 5 Merit Awards – $2,000
- Southeastern Partnership Awards – (Exhibitions & Opportunities)
Entry Fee
$25 non-refundable.
Location
South Carolina, United States
Timeline
- Application Deadline: 1 November 2025
- Event Date: April 10th – May 2nd, 2026
Website Link: https://www.artfieldssc.org/prizes-and-rules/
