Cherry Creek Arts Festival 2027

About this call

CherryArts, a Denver-based nonprofit, invites artists to apply to be one of 260 exhibitors at the 36th annual Cherry Creek Arts Festival, held July 2 to 4, 2027 in Denver's Cherry Creek North neighborhood, where artists exhibit and sell their own work and keep all revenue from sales. A new jury of five, two invited artists and three art professionals, selects 240 artists over several blind rounds in January 2027, judging artistic excellence, quality, creativity and overall impression; artists are notified on February 3, 2027. Categories are ceramics, digital art, drawing, fiber, glass, jewelry, metalworks, mixed media, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture and wood. Purchase awards total over $30,000. The Emerging Artist Program, for artists with little to no experience exhibiting or selling their work in galleries or at art festivals, generally fewer than 5 years, offers a reduced $350 booth, a provided tent, workshops, mentoring and support for lodging, and CherryArts awards $5,000 unrestricted grants to selected Emerging Artists.

Who can apply

• Open to applicants of any nationality
• Medium: Ceramics / Drawing / Mixed Media / New Media / Painting / Photography / Printmaking / Sculpture / Textile
• Entry fee: $55
• Application fee $55 (November 25 to December 1); early fee $45 if you apply by November 24, 2026. Selected artists confirm, sign the contract and pay a booth fee by February 26, 2027: $900 for a 10' x 10' row booth, $1,100 for a corner, $2,300 for a limited number of double booths, $350 in the Emerging Artist Program; payment plans are available, credit card payments carry a 3% processing fee, and cancelling by March 26, 2027 refunds 90% of the booth fee. Artists bring their own booth structure, display furniture and tables for an outdoor setting, under a professional quality tent weighted with at least 50 pounds on each leg. Proof of liability insurance naming CherryArts as additional insured, with at least $2,000,000 in general liability, is required; short-term event policies will be made available to those without one. Submit 5 images: 4 of individual works and 1 booth or display image (if no booth image exists, a grouping of works in a gallery or other setting; Emerging Artist applicants send a fifth work image instead, and those who reach round 3 submit a bio or CV and answer additional questions). Keep the artist's name and any identifying sign out of images and image titles. All work must be original and handcrafted by the applying artist; no production studio work, reproductions, or commercially acquired casts, molds or prefabricated forms. Digital art, photography and printmaking must be signed and numbered limited editions (digital art and photography on archival materials); photographers and printmakers disclose their processes; in Digital Art, work generated by or with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence is prohibited. At most two artists may collaborate, both on and signing the application and both present. Artists must be present with their work for all three days, with photo ID at check-in; representatives may not attend in their place. Artists keep all sales revenue and are responsible for state and local sales tax. Separate media categories or bodies of work may be entered as separate applications. Apply either to the Emerging Artist Program or to the general show, not both.