Organizer Information
The Gulfport Fine Art Festival is organized by SIK Promotions, Inc., an experienced event management company specializing in juried fine art festivals and outdoor art events across the United States. SIK Promotions collaborates with municipalities and community partners to create professionally curated festivals that connect artists with collectors, galleries, and the public. The Gulfport Fine Art Festival has become one of Florida's respected boutique art festivals, attracting thousands of visitors annually to the historic waterfront city of Gulfport. Hosted in scenic Clymer Park, the festival emphasizes high-quality original artwork, supports both established and emerging artists, and contributes to the city's vibrant arts and cultural scene. Through professional jury selection, promotional campaigns, and strong community engagement, the festival provides artists with a valuable platform to exhibit and sell their work while reaching a dedicated audience of art enthusiasts and collectors.
Title & Description
Gulfport Fine Art Festival 2027 – Call for Artists
Applications are now open for the 2027 Gulfport Fine Art Festival, a juried outdoor fine art festival taking place in historic Clymer Park in Gulfport, Florida. This boutique festival welcomes artists working across a wide range of traditional and contemporary media and offers an opportunity to exhibit and sell original artwork in one of Florida's thriving arts communities.
Held beneath the mature oak trees of Clymer Park, the festival attracts thousands of visitors each year, including collectors, local residents, tourists, and serious art buyers. The intimate atmosphere encourages meaningful interaction between artists and audiences while providing excellent sales opportunities.
Artists selected through the competitive jury process will exhibit their work during the two-day festival while benefiting from extensive promotional marketing, professional event organization, and eligibility for several cash awards. The event also features live entertainment, local food vendors, free public parking, and easy access to Gulfport's galleries, restaurants, and downtown arts district.
Applications are reviewed by an independent jury panel, and artists are encouraged to submit early due to limited exhibition space.
Categories
- Visual Arts
- Painting
- Sculpture
- Photography
- Fiber Art / Textile Art
- Glass Art
- Mixed Media
- Woodworking
- Jewelry
- Fine Craft
- Contemporary Art
- Two-Dimensional Art
- Three-Dimensional Art
Eligibility
Applications are open to:
- National and international professional artists producing original artwork
- Emerging artists (eligible for the Emerging Artist Program and award)
- Individual artists only
- Artists working in accepted fine art media
Not eligible:
- Commercial dealers
- Manufacturers
- Buy-sell vendors
- Artist representatives or proxies
- Artists exhibiting commercially manufactured or kit-produced artwork
All submitted work must be original and created by the applicant.
Program Benefits & Awards
- Exhibition booth at the Gulfport Fine Art Festival
- Opportunity to sell artwork directly to collectors
- Exposure to thousands of visitors
- Professional event promotion through official festival marketing
- Marketing through Visit Gulfport Florida
- Networking with collectors and fellow artists
- Eligibility for competitive cash awards
Awards include:
- Best in Show – 2D
- Best in Show – 3D
- Emerging Artist Award
The festival also provides a welcoming atmosphere featuring live music, food vendors, shaded seating areas, handicap accessibility, and free visitor parking.
Application Fee
- Application Fee: USD $35 (non-refundable)
- Booth Fee (if accepted): USD $325 for a standard 10 × 10 ft booth
- Booth fees are also non-refundable.
Application Requirements
- Completed online application
- Five images of artwork
- One booth photograph (required)
- Medium category selection
- Description of artistic process (particularly for limited-edition reproductions)
- Personal and contact information
Artists offering limited-edition reproductions must clearly explain their edition policy and reproduction process.
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 31 July 2026
- Booth Purchase Deadline: 15 September 2026
- Booth Setup: 12 February 2027
- Festival Dates: February 13–14, 2027
Location
Gulfport, Florida, United States
Additional Details
The Gulfport Fine Art Festival maintains high standards to ensure a professional exhibition environment. Important participation requirements include:
- Only original artwork may be displayed.
- Artists may exhibit only in the category for which they were accepted.
- Displayed artwork must match submitted jury images.
- Original artwork must occupy at least 50% of booth wall space.
- All displayed work must be professionally presented.
- All exhibited artwork must be available for sale.
- Commercially produced artwork, kits, molds, or mass-produced items are prohibited.
- Posters, calendars, postcards, greeting cards, T-shirts, and other promotional merchandise may not be sold.
- Signed and numbered limited-edition reproductions are permitted when properly labeled as reproductions.
- Reproductions printed on paper, canvas, metal, or similar materials must clearly identify themselves as reproductions.
- Artists violating reproduction policies may be required to remove non-compliant work during the festival.
The jury process is conducted remotely by three jurors using digital image review. Approximately 80 artists apply each year, with around 50 selected through jury review and a small number of invited returning award winners. Jury deliberations are closed to the public.
Because exhibition space is limited and the festival has a strong reputation among collectors, artists are encouraged to submit applications as early as possible.